Losing Naruto
by MimiHatake
Summary: CHAPTER 22, UPDATED! Sasuke joins ANBU, leaving a hole in the team. The replacement, Hyuuga Hinata, is in love with Naruto. So she asks Sakura for help. No problem! Sakura doesn't have feelings for Naruto...right? HinaNaru or SakuNaru, how will it end?
1. Observations

A/N: Welcome to chapter one of my little story, Losing Naruto! This is my first ever fanfic, and hopefully not my last since I'm actually having quite a bit of fun here. The chapters start out short but get longer with time.

I apologize for any OOCness, mistakes, and anything else I might miss. Feel free to point anything out to me.

Thanks very much for reading, and please, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Naruto. Not even close. No money is being made by me, I pimp this story out for no profit whatsoever.

NOTE: _Italics_ are thoughts.

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* * *

_

_Hair? Check._

_Face? Check._

_Outfit? Check_!

An almost grown Sakura smiled at herself in the mirror, tucking a single lock of pink hair behind her left ear. With one last grin at her reflection, she moved swiftly to her window, opening it wide. Instantly, the morning sun hit her face, the beginnings of another Konoha morning rang in her ears.

_It looks like such a great day outside, perfect to train!_

The pink-haired Chuunin looked up to training with her three teammates, and could always count on a decent workout. Most of her training the past few years revolved around becoming a medic-nin, so when she got to watch the guys spar and even take part in them herself, she was always excited. Any chance to hone her skills was much appreciated.

_Things really have changed..._

_Since then._

It was times like these, as she stood in her room getting ready for the day that she remembered her academy years. Everything used to revolve around Sasuke, her hair, clothes, and every word she said in his presence was calculated and precise, serving her ultimate purpose; to gain the Uchiha's respect, friendship, and of course, affection. Those childish ambitions were what drove her to excel back then.

But that was then.

_Maybe I'm the one who's changed._

It had been a while since she focused on what Sasuke wanted of her, the crush long gone. She loved him, no doubt about that, but as a brother – he was like her family. When he left for Orochimaru she felt as if her whole world had been turned upside down. While he was gone, she was forced to live without him.

Their relationship really had changed – matured into a deep mutual respect.

Now, if only she could say the same thing about her relationship with a certain blonde moronic runt.

In all fairness, he wasn't much of a runt anymore. But to Sakura, he would always be that annoying pest who constantly begs for dates. He was very important to her, as were all three of her teammates, but that didn't make him any less irritating.

Unfortunately for Sakura, after all this time, he still managed to get on her nerves. It seemed as if he was always messing around, never acting his age. Bugging her constantly with that damn perpetual grin of his...

_He's never gonna grow up_.

_Is there any hope for him at all..? _

_Ugh. Doubt it._

Sakura continued to look herself over in the mirror, making sure she looked absolutely perfect.

Her hair was cropped short, still that bright pink, her leaf forehead protector still being worn as a headband. She figured that would probably never change. It suited her that way. She had long since ditched the red dress she used to wear, and now wore a short tan skirt in its place. She took a tip from Tsunade and decided to skip the traditional ninja sandals, and now wore brown boots that barely reached her knee cap. She wore a maroon zip up shirt with cut off sleeves, her zipper, as usual, was zipped up just high enough so that nothing would show.

She downright refused to go that far into emulating Tsunade's style.

Sakura made some final readjustments, put on her belt with her ninja/medic supplies and made her way out the door and into the Konoha morning.

* * *

"Will that be all, Hokage-sama?"

With a nod, Kakashi was finally dismissed from his meeting with the Hokage concerning Team 7. He was still the one contacted for these things since he was the 'only Jounin on a team of young Chuunin' as Tsunade so often put it.

Kakashi sighed.

He knew she didn't agree with him wanting to stay with his former team, and when he had requested it he thought she would automatically refuse. She did, but after explaining the benefits of having an experienced ninja with a group of teens, Chuunin or not, she finally gave in. Especially when those Chuunin's consist of the Nine Tail Fox and a former runaway ninja. Tsunade knew as well as he did how bad things could get. So, he had gotten his way.

Kakashi walked along the crowded Konoha street, it was still early in the morning, but late enough so that the streets were packed with children on their way to the academy. He continued to walk, lost in thought, until he noticed something was a bit off.

He was being followed.

By a green spandex-wearing moron.

Kakashi rolled his eyes, stopping in his tracks and pulling his little orange book out of his vest.

"Good morning, Gai" Kakashi called out, sounding as immensely bored as he was.

At that instant, a boisterous man wearing all green, save for orange leg warmers, popped out from behind a nearby bush, causing three small children to scream and run in the other direction.

"AS EXPECTED FROM MY ETERNAL RIVAL!" Gai boomed, his teeth gleaming in the sun, blinding Kakashi for the shortest of moments.

Kakashi squinted, burying his head once again into Icha, Icha Tactics.

"Gai, you were hiding in a bush. The fact that you even considered that to be stealth is almost insulting."

Pretending not to hear anything, Gai strode up to Kakashi, stopping in front of the other man in order to extend an arm with the usual thumbs up, his face broken into a wide smile.

"As cool as ever, I see! You truly are worthy of being my life time rival, Kakashi! You truly are the most youthful of us all, with that hip attitude of yours only serving to exude your-"

"Is there a reason you're here, Gai? You know, besides the usual challenge?"

The black-haired Jounin started, expression changing so fast Kakashi was sure he missed something.

_Hmm. Wonder if I offended him or something._

_I hope it isn't serious..._

Bringing the small orange book down a fraction of an inch, Kakashi watched Gai closely, not having to feign interest as he usually did when speaking to his 'eternal rival'.

"Ah yes, I almost forgot." Gai's rather large, bushy brows furrowed as he spoke. "Did I not see you come from the Hokage's office just a short while ago?"

_So it's nothing serious._

_Oh well, back to business then_.

Kakashi nodded, once again only half paying attention to the conversation. After a small silence, Gai began to press the copy ninja further.

"So? What happened?" Gai waited for a response with bated breath.

He usually wasn't this nosy, but he had been eagerly awaiting news of the Chuunin exams next date, since he was finally going to allow Lee to participate once again. He had been hesitant ever since what happened the first time the boy entered the exams, but decided he could put it off no longer.

Besides, at this point Lee was almost his equal in Taijutsu.

_I'm so proud of my beautiful, adorable student!_

_He really is at the springtime of youth..._

Gai was brought out of his musings by the sound of Kakashi turning a page in that little book of his. "What happened with what?" the copy-nin replied, his voice sounding as if he wasn't paying the slightest bit attention.

Which, Gai figured, he probably wasn't.

"Kakashi, would you please pay attention! What was the Hokage's news? Did it concern the Chuunin exams?" If Kakashi were still not listening, he wouldn't hesitate to throttle the man to death, right after tearing that little book to shreds.

"Oh, right, that -" Gai released a long breath of relief. "Well, as always, she didn't say anything about the Chuunin exams. Actually, she wanted to see me about my team being changed."

Gai was shocked, to say the least. That team was known as the best since the legendary three - they were respected in Konoha and by its allies, feared by everyone else. To change it, well, it seemed downright foolish. Gai knew he was treading a fine line with Kakashi, but decided to push a little further.

"Your team is being changed? The formula seemed just fine to me. Is it the Uchiha boy?"

"Sasuke?" Kakashi sighed, "yes, but it's probably not what you think. You see, ANBU lost many of it's best in the fight against Akatsuki. So now, it looks like they're recruiting again."

Gai frowned. He didn't have anything really against ANBU, knew that they served important purposes. Still, he had seen many of his friends join and come back changed men and women. The man he was speaking to, included.

"So," Gai began, hiding his discomfort with the entire situation. "What will the Uchiha boy do?"

Kakashi sighed. "Well, he really has no choice but to join. Not in these dangerous times. A few other Chuunin have also been chosen." Kakashi noticed Gai was about to speak up, before he could Kakashi continued. "I have no idea who else, she only named Sasuke. If one of yours is chosen, you will also be told."

Gai looked down, lost in thought. They were no longer really students of his, they were all Chuunin now, with the exception of Neji who was now a Jounin. But they are still students of his until they turn 17. And in his mind, even 17 was too young of an age to become ANBU."

As if reading his mind, Kakashi began to speak again.

"I know how you feel Gai. But you don't have to worry; the Hokage will not let a ninja who isn't ready mentally and physically, join the ranks of ANBU."

"…Yes, I understand." Smiling once again, Gai shrugged off his concerns for the time being. It wouldn't do anyone any good to worry. "Well Kakashi, it looks like I have to go. My team awaits! I shall challenge you next time, so do not despair!"

And with that, Gai disappeared in a flash of smoke. Kakashi sighed; he really did understand how Gai felt. As a former member of ANBU, he knew what types of things they were required to do. He also knew that Sasuke was ready, since the death of his brother he seemed to have a weight lifted off his shoulders. He was still a bit quiet, but he spoke more often than he used to.

He and Naruto had formed a strong bond since the ordeal with Orochimaru. Sasuke seemed to finally understand just how far Naruto was willing to go to help him. And as for Naruto... well, he just seemed glad to have his 'brother' back.

Kakashi smiled to himself. They would fight constantly, but were always there for each other, just like real brothers were. Sakura had finally seemed to get over her long standing crush on Sasuke.

Kakashi didn't know how or when it happened, but when the Uchiha finally returned, it seemed her feelings for him changed in the time he was gone. Sasuke also seemed to notice this, as he now spoke to her as a friend instead of an annoyance.

Naruto and Sakura however, were another story. It seemed he still had strong feelings for her. It was obvious to everyone with eyes that the poor kid didn't have any hope whatsoever. She may not have her eyes on Sasuke anymore, but that didn't change the fact that she still saw Naruto as an annoying little brother. Kakashi wondered if that would ever change, if she would ever notice the strong young man he had become. Kakashi shrugged… maybe someday in the future the girl would open her eyes to the blonde boy who was right in front of her.

_Not likely_.

"Teenagers" Kakashi muttered out loud to himself. With that, he took flipped another page of Icha, Icha, Tactics, and continued on his way to the training grounds.

* * *

A/N: Rewritten **6-12-06** due to suckiness – yeah, imagine that, it was actually _worse_ than this! (Shudders)

Thanks for reading, everyone!


	2. Things can change

A/N: cough oh my, I'm sick. Looks like I'll be able to write a lot though, so that's a good thing, right? Eeehhhh…guess it depends on how you look at it. I know this is a quick update, but since I'm bed ridden I decided to write - and I figured, why wait? Here ya go! And I promise, the Hinata stuff will come along soon! I just gotta get rid of Sasuke so a spot can open, heh :P

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Kakashi arrived at the designated area, after paying his respects to his old friend Obito, amongst others. He was supposed to meet everyone three hours before, but had been sidetracked (for real this time) with the Hokage and Gai. But since they were no longer children, they were able to start training without him. He sometimes did miss the outraged 'YOU'RE LATE!" he would always get from Sakura and Naruto. The dirty look he would receive from Sasuke also amused him.

Ah, but how things changed with time.

There they were, perfecting extremely advanced jutsu's, Naruto creating new formations with his clones, Sakura healing complex injuries that her fellow leaf ninja would present her with, and Sasuke, performing extremely complex kunai moves on trees and boards. They had grown do much…Kakashi began to get reminiscent when a loud scream pierced the air.

"NARUTO! You idiot! Keep your clones away from me, or so help me I'll jam a Kunai straight up your ass!"

Kakashi sighed . Some things never changed.

"Sakuraaa, gimme a break! I was just trying to help you out, is that so wrong?" Naruto was pouting, his clones had poofed the second Sakura began screaming.

"Quiet, Naruto! These people are in need of my medical expertise-"

Naruto ran over to her instantly, bending over her back and looking closely at the patient she was tending. He was a blushing boy, probably about 11 years old. The boy looked at Naruto with wide fearful eyes.

Sakura growled. "Would you mind telling me what you're doing, Naruto? Besides bugging me and my patient?"

Naruto looked at Sakura in shock.

"Huh? Patient? Medical expertise? Sakura, that's barely even a scrape! You say _I'm_ wasting your time? Get lost, you little wor-"

Before Naruto could finish his insult, Sakura had sent him flying across the plains they were training in. She seemed to have gotten even stronger since the last time Kakashi had seen her hit him. Either that, or she was just extremely pissed. Kakashi assumed it was a bit of both.

"Now stay down if you know what's good for you!" Sakura yelled at Naruto's twisting form in the distance. Kakashi laughed, Sakura knew the boy too well. He was already trying to get back up.

"S…s-saku…raaa..!" Naruto tried yelling feebly from his place on the ground. His body felt like it was in 17,000 different pieces. Why did she always hit him? Was he a bad person or something? He didn't try getting on her nerves 'well, not always. I was actually trying to help this time…'

While lost in thought, Naruto had failed to notice someone approaching, until the shadow settled itself over his broken form.

"Who.. a-are you?" Naruto strained to sit up.

Kakashi sighed. He never learned. "Naruto, when Sakura is working, you need to respect her needs at that time. That means you don't tease her, you allow her to concentrate, and you don't threaten her patients with bodily harm."

Naruto pouted. "It just isn't fair, why is sh-"

"Why don't you try growing up, idiot."

Naruto immediately got up from the ground to challenge Sasuke, Kakashi looked on in boredom.

"Why don't you shut up, Sharingan ass!"

"It's the truth, dead last. You ever think maybe the reason Sakura hits you is because you intentionally get on her nerves?" Sasuke said this with a smirk. That annoyed Naruto most.

"You wanna fight?" Naruto growled, his hands at his sides, curled into fists.

Sasuke rolled his eyes in amusement. "I'll pass, moron. You see, I'm actually trying to get a workout today. Playing around with you won't make me any stronger."

"Oh yeah? Well-"

"AHEM!"

Before Naruto could finish, Kakashi decided to cut him off with a loud cough. It worked, as it got both boys attention. Kakashi could swear they were 12 again, bickering as usual.

Once he was sure they would stay quiet he called Sakura over, and sat them all down.

"Look, I spoke with the Hokage today, and it looks like our team is going to undergo some changes-"

As expected, he was interrupted by Naruto's loud voice. "Changes! What kinda changes? Everything is fine right now! Go tell that old bag that things are staying the same around here!"

Kakashi sighed, "Naruto, please let me finish. Now, in light of recent events, it looks like ANBU has decided to recruit new ninjas in order to rebuild their forces. They have chosen one of you as a new member, unfortunately, you have no choice in this matter." Kakashi paused, letting this news sink in to the three young chuunin's before him.

After a few seconds, he continued. "Sasuke," Kakashi began, looking at the young Uchiha, who's face showed no emotion whatsoever. This came of no surprise to Kakashi. The boy waited, looking Kakashi in his one exposed eye. "Considering your skills, you were the first chuunin chosen as a new recruit"

Kakashi could have sworn he saw the barest hint of shock, but it disappeared before he could confirm it.

Kakashi continued, "With Sasuke's absence, we will have a spot in our team. The Hokage has yet to determine who would best fit with this team. I will inform you the second she tells me, as it concerns both of you." Kakashi stood, "Sasuke, you are to report to the Hokage immediately for further instructions. Naruto, Sakura, you stay with me."

Sasuke stood up, nodded at Kakashi once and began to leave, when he was stopped by Naruto's voice calling him..

"Yo, Sharingan." Sasuke looked down at Naruto, a slight look of annoyance was clearly directed at the young blonde.

"What is it, dead last?"

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms turning his head in the other direction.

"Just wanted to tell you not to get yourself killed, I won't be there to save you!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I'll be fine, moron. You won't be there to get in my way."

"Get out of here, Uchiha!"

"Gladly, Uzumaki."

Sakura noticed the barest hint of a smile on Naruto's face, but was shocked to see a small smile on Sasuke's face as well. Before she knew it, Sasuke was gone, and Naruto was jumping up and down, asking Kakashi to teach him his chidori move.

"Boys" she thought, sighing to herself. She never would understand them.

Kakashi looked down at the remaining members of his team. 'Isn't too bad, not like Sasuke was some glue holding them together. And maybe now, Naruto could concentrate on training instead of competing.'

"Yo, Kakashi!" Naruto practically bellowed, shocking Kakashi.

"Yes, Naruto?"

Silence.

"Could you show me how to do the chidori?"

Kakashi sighed. He knew it would come to this, it seemed the boy asked whenever he got bored.

"Naruto, you have the Rasengan, surely you don't need-"

Naruto interrupted him, whining loudly. "But Kakashi, I'm still not strong enough, I can't-"

But it was Naruto's turn to be cut off. Sakura had went to sit next to him, she hadn't planned on joining in this conversation. But something Naruto said bothered her deeply.

"How can you say that, Naruto?" The two of them looked at her in mild shock. Her tone wasn't hostile, but it was still laced with annoyance. "You're strong. Stronger than I could ever be, mentally and physically. Don't beat yourself up over such silly things."

'Well, well, well. How interesting. Maybe there is some hope for these to at last, maybe a civilized conversation is possible after all' Kakashi thought to himself, observing the two quietly.

Naruto was staring at Sakura with a strange mixture of shock, happiness, pride, and disbelief gracing his features. But inside, he felt much more. He felt something new. Bliss. Finally, Sakura had acknowledged him. Not the way he wished, but still - she said he was 'strong'. Naruto continued going over this for a few seconds, until Sakura's hand waving over his face brought him back to reality.

"Huh?" Naruto questioned, his voice still sounding far away.

Sakura sighed in exasperation. "I asked, are you ok? What's your problem, Naruto? Is something wrong?"

Naruto smiled. 'something wrong'? He gave a small chuckle, this further worried Sakura. She was about to question him again when he responded.

"Nothing's wrong, Sakura. Nothing at all." His voice was strangely even, that loud excitement gone. Sakura frowned. Had he somehow grown up in the past minute or so? He even had a calm smile, something she rarely saw on his face. A large grin, yes, even a smirk. But this relaxed smile? It almost worried her.

She saw Naruto lower his face, next thing she knew he was up again, fist in the air. Like nothing had happened. Sakura grinned. Maybe, just maybe, she would finally get to see another side of Naruto.

"Hey, Sakura! Get off your lazy ass and TRAIN!"

Sakura growled. Then again, maybe not.

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A/N: Ooooh…another short chapter. Sorry, but I'm just testing the waters here so far. Next chapter will definitely be longer, since it covers a few things. Heh, well I'm off to write more! Being sick has it's advantages…bye!

- Mimi Hatake


	3. The assignment, and the new member

-1

A/N: Here is chapter three of my story, Losing Naruto! I wanted to cover a few things here, and it looks like I have. I think I'm headed for some OOCness - and I apologize ahead of time, but…you know. And I'm sorry for all the grammatical errors, but I never was good at that whole grammar aspect to English. Run on sentences are not unusual for me, and I'm just one big comma explosion. Sorry!

Thanks for the reviews people! It makes me all fuzzy inside! You're all so sweet! Well, on with the story. I promise to get on with the love story soon, just really want to cover this ground! Well, without further ado, here is chapter three!

**IMPORTANT**! From now on, thoughts will be in _italics,_ because it just feels more organized that way. And Lee is going to be calling Gai "Gai-Sensei", since it just seems weird any other way. So naturally, I'll have to change it so the other characters do the same. Why didn't I do that from the start? Ehhh...I'm just that lazy. Kakashi will still only be "Kakashi" though, why only him? Guess I'm just that weird.

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Sasuke always felt strange around the Hokage - he had no idea why. It wasn't like he disliked her or anything, she was a very brave, strong woman. It was just so… very unsettling. He was used to being around a girl who could probably kick his ass, but Tsunade was another story. She had this power, this force that made her presence known. She demanded respect, and was impossible to say no to. Either it be because you know she is wise, or that you know of the beating that will follow saying 'no' to her. Sasuke shrugged. It didn't matter now, this was more of an order than a request. He had no choice in the matter.

Besides…being chosen for ANBU without having to go through the trials was a big thing for him. Even if it was out of desperation.

_Shut up_. He told himself_. It doesn't matter, tons of hopefuls would kill to be in your shoes. Many of them have…during those trials_.

Sasuke's morbid train of thought was disturbed when he noticed he had come to a stop, right in front of the Hokage's office.

_Well, this is it_. Sasuke steeled himself, and took a deep breath. With that, he entered the Hokage's office, his impassive mask back on.

Tsunade looked up from her impressive pile of paperwork, glancing at the last Uchiha. She took in his expression…or lack thereof. _I swear, the kid could witness a stampede of buffalo charge through the office and he wouldn't blink an eye_. She thought about this for a second, noticing how different he was from Naruto, no expressions…but sometimes that was a good thing. _Like right now_. She thought to herself. She didn't know what she would do if she had to deal with some scared, shivering kid.

With that thought, she rose from her chair. "Hello, Sasuke. Please, sit. The others will be here shortly."

Sasuke obeyed, _others, huh? I wonder who else got picked_.

The Hokage sat back down, allowing silence to come over the room. She knew he must have a lot on his mind, this was very sudden. She was thankful he wasn't questioning her - she had gotten too much of that with worried parents and teachers. She brought a free hand to her temple, massaging it lightly. _Where are those damn kids_? Irritation was getting the best of her.

_knock, knock, knock_

Tsunade signed, "finally" she ground out in a low voice. "Enter."

With that, the door opened. Allowing three of Sasuke's fellow ninja's to enter the room.

Sasuke smirked. _It figures_.

The first to enter was no surprise to Sasuke, Hyuuga Neji. His face showed less expression than Sasuke's, if that was even possible. He was already a jounin, extremely smart, and very powerful. It surprised Sasuke that he wasn't already ANBU.

Shortly after Neji came Shikamaru, looking as bored as ever. His hands were in his pockets, and he was slouching slightly. Sasuke knew that even being requested by ANBU wouldn't excite the boy. Of course, rumor had it that ANBU had been showing interest in Shikamaru for a while now. Sasuke knew why he kept refusing, _too damn lazy_. He knew this to be true. Shikamaru had outright told everyone the reason he had refused to take the jounin exams. 'Far too troublesome.' he had said.

The last to enter was none other than Rock Lee. Sasuke frowned slightly. _Last I checked Lee wasn't even Chuunin yet. What's that about?_

"Good afternoon everyone." Tsunade said, breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts.

Tsunade walked over to the front of her desk, leaning on it slightly, both hands on the edge. She took a deep breath, and began.

"I assume you know why you are here? You four were chosen specifically by ANBU as new recruits. You will not be required to take the trials," she noticed a sigh of relief from Shikamaru, rolling her eyes she continued. "Unfortunately, you have no choice in the matter. This is an order, I expect you to treat it as one. Meaning no complaining, no slacking off, and absolutely no questions."

The room was completely silent, the only thing Sasuke could hear was the faint tapping of Tsunade's high heels. Even though it was silent, Sasuke could feel the tension. It was suffocating him, making even thinking become difficult. You couldn't tell by looking at him, of course.

Tsunade turned to her desk, picking up a small piece of paper.

"Now, you have all been being watched by the top ANBU officials, and they have divided you into two small teams for an upcoming mission. I'll let them brief you on it, since I would rather not waste time on foolish questions." Tsunade's voice was firm, nobody dared to even speak.

"Sasuke and Shikamaru," both boys stood, facing the Hokage's desk.

"Yes, Hokage-Sama?" they both asked in unison, bowing at the same time.

"You have been given the rank of ANBU captain, for this mission only. Sasuke, you will be assigned two ANBU, along with Neji. Shikamaru, you will be assigned three ANBU, along with Lee. The reasons for this choice are known by ANBU, so if you have questions, again, ask them."

Sasuke nodded, his eyes darkening for a moment. _Does she really have to be this cold? Not that I really care or anything, but Lee looks like he's gonna vomit. Why is he so upset anyways? A bit annoying..._

Tsunade looked at them, before starting, in a cold voice "Well, I have nothing else to say to you. You may leave my office immediately to report to ANBU."

All four of them nodded and bowed in turn, before approaching the door. But as they were about to open it, it burst open, a green flash passing them, nearly knocking the door down in the process.

"HOKAGE-SAMA!"

Tsunade sighed. _Just what I need_. She thought miserably, taking in the sight of an upset, nearly hysterical Gai.

"Did you need something Gai?" She asked sternly, sitting back in her chair behind her wooden desk. She began to resume her work, hoping he would get the hint.

No such luck.

"Hokage-Sama, how could you send young Lee and Neji to ABNU? How could you send them, in the springtime of their youth, to become trained killers? To strip them of their innocence? You know how ANBU is, you know what missions they take. Besides, Lee here is not yet a Chuunin! He is without a doubt strong enough, but I… I refuse to allow my precious students to go! All of ANBU will have to get through me!" Gai finished, pulled to his full height in front of the Hokage's desk.

Tsunade was looking at Gai with an expression of mixed shock and fury. Whatever it was, it rendered her completely speechless.

Lee and Neji shared a look, which only lasted a moment before Lee stepped over to where Gai was standing. Neji sighed, slowly shaking his head.

"Gai-Sensei?"

Gai turned around, looking at his young student. Everyone looked on in silence, waiting to see what could possibly happen next. _When you put these two together_, Sasuke thought, _you never know what's gonna happen. Tears, most likely_..

"Yes, my adorable, young student?"

"I told you, it's ok, I'm alright going to ANBU. I've worked so hard, and finally I will get a chance to prove myself!"

Gai looked shocked, but quickly recovered, grabbing Lee by the shoulders.

"Lee, you need not prove yourself! For yours is a strength known all throughout the fire country - NO- all throughout the world! The beautiful green beast of Konoha!"

"That is why I must join! To use my strength to protect the village I love, the people I love! For I will lay my life on the line to protect my way of the ninja!"

"OH!" Gai screamed, trapping Lee in a huge, teary embrace.

"Gai-Sensei!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEEEIII"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, putting his hands in both his pockets. "Hey, Hyuuga?" Neji looked at Shikamaru. "Are these two always so troublesome?"

Neji nodded, looking back at the two green-clad men, hugging and crying in front of the speechless Hokage.

After a few moments, Tsunade finally found herself again.

"Erm, Gai, if you have no more questions-"

"-and you must never forget! We raise our fists of love only to-"

Tsunade's eyes flashed with fury. _He isn't even paying attention to me...how long can these two go on like this_?

"Gai, could you stop blubbering for five minutes?"

"-protect those we care deeply for! It is through spirit, and heart, and s-"

"GAI!" Tsunade bellowed, punching a hole through her desk for good measure.

Gai and Lee finally looked over at her, both with matching expressions of shock and fear.

"Y-yes, honorable Hokage-Sama?" Gai almost trembled under her fierce glare.

"Leave. My office. Immediately." Tsunade practically growled out, striking fear in the hearts of all present.

"Of course Hokage-Sama," Gai bowed quickly, "Come, Lee! Let us prepare!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei!"

With that, the two ran out in a green blur, leaving the remaining three teens in a state of shock.

Tsunade took a deep breath.

"The rest of you, you are dismissed. Please, report to ANBU headquarters, you will be filled in on everything there. Congratulations, and good luck.

Sasuke, Neji, and Shikamaru quickly bowed, and with a final "Yes, Hokage-Sama. Thank you." the three were on their way.

----------------------- The Next Day --------------------

Naruto awoke, the sun casting a bright yellow gleam across his face. His bed was still cold, he realized the sun must have just risen. Without waiting any longer, Naruto rose out of bed, yawning into his otherwise silent room. With a spine tingling stretch, Naruto left his room, deciding to eat before showering. His apartment wasn't too small, just nig enough for one person to live in. Sometimes Iruka, Kakashi, or his friends would visit. But other then those times, he usually found his apartment to be quite cozy.

With another yawn, Naruto stepped into his small kitchen, opening the cabinets.

"Hmm…pork?" Naruto said out loud, looking at his last package of ramen. He sighed, the last packet of ramen would always depress him. With a small frown, he began to broil the water, sitting at the small table in the corner, placing his elbows on the table, head on his hands.

_I wonder who will replace Sasuke? I sure hope it isn't Kiba, the bastard gets on my nerves. _Naruto shuddered at this thought.

_Maybe it will be Ino? _Naruto laughed out loud at this thought. While Ino and Sakura no longer fought over Sasuke, they still had a hard time getting along since they were so completive over everything else. _guess they have to make up for not fighting over Sasuke anymore. Women. _With a sigh, Naruto went to the stove to prepare his breakfast. Pork ramen.

------------------

Naruto was whistling, making his way to the usual meet up spot. He was even early today, not that it mattered. They wouldn't find out who their new team member was until Kakashi showed up. Which could be in hours.

Naruto sighed to himself.

He arrived at the spot, noticing that Sakura was already there, relaxing in the morning sun. He took a moment to observe her. She was wearing her usual training outfit, her eyes were closed, Naruto noticed she was fiddling with a kunai.

_Beautiful. As always._

Naruto's train of thought was broken when a kunai landed at his feet. He looked up in mild shock, only to see Sakura still laying down, now playing with a shuriken.

"Well, Naruto? You just gonna stand there all day, or did you plan on keeping me company?" Sakura's tone was light, making Naruto smile.

"Hey Sakura!" he yelled out, making the young woman stand up, facing Naruto. _Why does he always yell do much_? She thought to herself, annoyed.

"Naruto, you're giving me a damn headache!"

Naruto grinned sheepishly, "sorry about that Sakura, just happy to see you."

"Yes, well next time try not to be so loud about it." She hadn't meant that to come out sounding so rude, but before she could correct herself, Naruto was already laughing nervously, trying to act as if he was unaffected by her words.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll try! So Sakura, wanna train?"

Sakura looked at him for a second, before shaking her head. "No, Naruto, I just don't feel like it right now."

Naruto pouted, obviously thinking it would have some profound effect on Sakura - who merely rolled her eyes.

"Naruto, how old are you? Train by yourself!"

"But I don't wanna! Sasuke isn't here anymore, and you're like the next best thing!"

Sakura felt rage build up inside her body. _Next. Best. Thing_. How could he even say that? Sure, she wasn't as powerful as Sasuke, but come on now, not many were! He always said stupid things like that, for what reason?

_But it is true. Besides, why would what Naruto thinks bother you do much_? Sakura paused at this thought, letting it sink it. Then she shook her head, deciding to banish all confusing thoughts for the time being.

Sakura turned to Naruto, her anger completely clear in her expression. So clear, in fact, he instinctively backed up a foot. Or ten.

"Naruto, get out of my sight you annoying little jerk! I can't stand you!"

Naruto paled, deciding now was not a time to question Sakura. What had he said that made her so angry? He only told her the truth, did she not like hearing it?

Naruto walked a little ways down the training grounds, sitting next to a tree. Sakura wasn't that far off, only a few trees down. He decided it would be best to give her space right now, even though he would usually send a clone over in a situation like this.

Naruto sighed to himself. _Maybe she really will never like me that way. Am I pathetic for not giving up? Even Ino and Sakura had given up on Sasuke. So why can't I give up on Sakura_?

As Naruto sat thinking, he failed to notice Kakashi enter the small area, looking at both of them. Naruto, feeling sorry for himself. Sakura, silently fuming. _How typical of them. They were getting along ok for about a day. Guess that's all one can hope for_. Putting an end to these thoughts, Kakashi decided to make his presence known to the oblivious chuunin's.

"Ahem" Kakashi softly cleared his throat. Both of them stood up, walking over to Kakashi.

"Sakura, Naruto" He nodded once, watching them do the same.

"Kakashi," Naruto almost squealed, excitement back in his voice. "Our new member, has it been decided?"

Kakashi grinned… or rather, his eye grinned.

"Yes, she should be arriving shortly."

"SHE!" Naruto yelled, making Sakura - and many nearby forest creatures - jump a foot in the air.

"Naruto, would you relax?" Sakura rose her voice, finding herself annoyed, once again. _Always yelling_!

Naruto pouted, why was she always shutting him up? She quickly regained his excitement, remembering why he was shut yp in the first place.

"So who is it, Kakashi? Ino? Or is it-"

Naruto was cut off, at that moment someone entered the training area. He spun around, along with Sakura.

"…H-hello…Naruto-Kun.." Hinata put her head down, blushing profusely at the mere sight of her long-time crush.

Naruto perked up at this, Hinata was strong, and MUCH nicer than Ino.

Sakura noticed Naruto's excitement over having Hinata on the team. She, along with everyone else, know how Hinata felt for Naruto. Well, with the exception of Naruto himself. Who, as always, was completely clueless.

"Hinata! You're joining our team? That's great!" Naruto jumped in the air, whooping in excitement.

"Oh…um, y-yes…I was told by the Hokage." Hinata began to fiddle with her fingers, her face getting even redder by the second. "N-Naruto-Kun...thank you for being so.." Hinata trailed off, while she was speaking Naruto had gotten even closer to her. By the time she got to 'being so' he was a foot away, his face close to hers, trying to make out what she was saying.

Hinata's face was now some shade of purple, noticing Naruto's close proximity.

Sakura frowned to herself. Had she been like that with Sasuke? All blushing and adoring, and…geh, it made her sick. Sakura's frown deepened. _Why am I feeling so hostile towards Hinata? She can't help how she feels about Naruto_. Shaking those thoughts away, Sakura walked over to the two of them, planning on greeting Hinata herself.

Too late. Hinata's eyes were wide open, she appeared to be in shock.

"Hinata? Are you.." Naruto reached for her hand

That did it.

With a small sigh, Hinata fainted into Naruto's arms, scaring him half to death.

"HINATA! Wake up!" Naruto began to shake the girl, who was far too red in his opinion.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "She's just fainted you dimwit. Give her here."

Naruto complied, gently putting Hinata in Sakura's arms. Once Sakura was sure the girl was securely in her arms, she walked to a nearby log, setting her down. After a moment, Sakura concentrated all of her chakra on her hands, waving them slowly over Hinata's head.

After a moment, Hinata's eyes slowly blinked open. She looked confused, before Sakura could speak, Hinata quietly began speaking.

"Ah…N-Naruto-Kun..? Is that y-you?" With a frown, Sakura looked down at the girl. _Is he all she thinks about? Doesn't she even want to know what happened to her? Or maybe even thank me_? Sakura stood, turning to Naruto.

"Naruto, I think she's asking for you." At this, Naruto looked surprised.

"Me?"

Sakura sighed, "Yes, you. Hurry up."

Naruto nodded, quickly walking over to where Hinata was now sitting up. She saw Kakashi also walk over, looking mildly concerned for the young Hyuuga.

"Hinata, you ok?" Naruto questioned, worry was etched in his expression, clear in his voice.

"Y-yes, Naruto-Kun. Thank you f-for worrying…about me. Sorry for t-troubling you.."

Naruto smiled. "No problem, we're friends right? I care about you like I do all my friends!"

Silence.

"…Of c-course.. Friends.."

Sakura frowned at this. She could not only hear, but feel Hinata's spirit fall at these words. She knew very well that Hinata did not only want to be friends with Naruto. Why, she would never know. He was obnoxious, annoying, pulled pranks, and hardly ever acted his age.

_Makes no sense_. She thought to herself. She decided she would have to corner Hinata and find out exactly what was going on in her head.

--------------------------

A/N: Oh. My. Gosh. That was soo long for me! It kept going and going and going. I just wanted to get that stuff out of the way. I thought about splitting it up into chapters, but since most of them are going to be small, I decided to keep the big ones that actually do come along in one piece.

Hope this story is still entertaining at least one person out there! I know I'm having fun with it


	4. Inner conflicts

A/N: Hello everyone! Here with another chapter to Losing Naruto, chapter 4 to be exact! This chapter will move to story on more, more on that at the end of the chapter. Thanks so much for the reviews everyone! I have the funniest, best reviewers, you guys really make me happy with your comments, compliments, and pointers. After reading them, I just had to write a new chapter. So I hope you guys like it!

On with the story!

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Sakura walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. It was already dark out, so she closed her curtains, and turned on her light. After taking her headband off, she plopped down onto her bed, not even bothering to change her clothes.

_What a disaster_.

Sakura sighed, going through the day's events in her head once more, she just couldn't help it. This had been one of the worst days of her life.

_Why did it have to be Hinata? Why couldn't it have been someone else - anyone else? I don't understand her, the girl makes no sense._

Sakura was tired. All day she had to deal with an even louder than usual Naruto, and on top of that, a quiet, trembling Hinata who fainted 6 more times throughout the day. She was ok with healing people, but this was getting a tad bit ridiculous. Every time he looked at Hinata, she would turn bright red, stop whatever she was doing, and look away. And if he even got close, or made any physical contact whatsoever…she would faint. _And who has to heal her? Me_.

Sakura groaned, turning over to switch off the light. Once her small room was completely dark she closed her eyes, deciding to get to sleep early.

_Tomorrow is a day off for team 7... I'll find Hinata, and hopefully talk some sense into her. We're not gonna get anywhere if she continues to faint and blush all day…_

With those final thoughts, Sakura quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.

--------------------

Sakura woke up a few minutes before dawn, which didn't shock her, since she had fallen asleep at around 7:30 pm. It was a good thing, since she could take her time getting ready before setting out to get Hinata. She had a plan, and was confident that whatever she said or did would be in the best interests of her team.

Once Sakura was finally finished getting ready, the sun was already up, and Konoha had began it's morning rush of students, workers, and early shoppers. Sakura set out into the crisp morning, enjoying the cool morning air hitting her face as she made her way to the Hyuuga house. She decided to take her time, since it really was a beautiful day. She even ran into a few friends on the way, including Temari and Shikamaru, who seemed to be getting closer lately.

_I wouldn't be surprised_, Sakura mused, once Shikamaru and Temari were on their way again. _She's here in Konoha so often… and I doubt her 'representative duties' require her to spend to much time at Shikamaru's place_. With a small laugh, Sakura watched the two leave in the direction of the tea house. After a moment, Sakura continued on her way, deciding to hurry before Hinata had the chance to leave the house.

Once she arrived, Sakura instantly spotted Hinata making her way out of the house. _Looks like I made it right in time_, Sakura sighed, blessing her good luck.

"Hey, Hinata!" Sakura called out, getting the attention of the young Hyuuga girl, who looked a bit shocked to see Sakura outside her house, so early in the day.

"Oh, Hello, Sakura" Hinata smiled, walking over to where Sakura was standing.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. _So, she really only has trouble speaking when Naruto is around_?

Shaking off her annoyance, Sakura walked over to Hinata, stopping once she was standing at the girl's side.

"Hinata, would you like to get some tea with me? You know, just the two of us, kind of like a girls day out?"

Hinata smiled. "Yes, of course. I just got back from early training with Naruto, and I could use the relaxation."

Sakura's brow furrowed, her face quickly developed a small frown at Hinata's words.

"You and Naruto were training together?" Sakura asked, almost in disbelief. _He always asks me to train with him, why didn't he at least ask me to join? Not that I would have said yes… But, still_.

"Yes, he came very early in the morning, he actually woke up my father with his shouting," Hinata giggled, blushing a bit. "He asked me to join him for ramen this afternoon.."

_What is going on here? _Sakura thought to herself, then quickly became even more confused. _And why do I really care_?

"And? Did you say yes?" Sakura asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. But she wouldn't let her sudden annoyance with Hinata show. She had things to ask Hinata, and since this was related, she should know what was going on. Not like she really cared about a relationship between the two… but _this crush is really making training difficult. _Sakura reassured herself._ Imagine a mission, with Hinata fainting all over the place_. With a heavy sigh, Sakura decided to put aside all those thoughts until later.

"Well… I wanted to say yes, but training with him was difficult enough. I can't seem to concentrate when he's around. It's like I'm a little girl again, when it comes to Naruto, I-I can't… Even breathe around him. Why is that?"

_Exactly what I wanna know, the guy is a complete moron _Sakura thought, deciding not to question Hinata just yet.

"Well, I'm sure you'll be fine-"

"Sakura, can I ask you something?" Hinata cut Sakura off mid-sentence, shocking the pink haired chuunin.

"Uh, sure Hinata, what is it?"

Hinata stopped walking, putting her head down. Sakura noticed, and took a few steps closer to the girl, waiting for a response. After a few moments, Hinata finally began to speak, her voice was calm - but Sakura could sense sadness and hesitation laced in her voice.

"I need you to help me, you're the only one who can."

Sakura was getting scared, she had never seen Hinata look so grim, at least, not while a match or fight wasn't going on. _Maybe someone is in danger? But she would have mentioned it sooner. How strange, what could she need my help with_?

"Of course, what do you need, Hinata?"

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief, looking up as Sakura, her eyes showed much relief. Sakura was glad, but was also a bit worried. What on earth had she just agreed to help with?

"Sakura, I need you to help me get Naruto."

Sakura blinked.

"Uh, what do you mean?"

Hinata blinked. And then blushed.

"Well… you see… you may not know this, but, I like Naruto-"

"Ok, Hinata, I know that. In fact, we all do. The only person who doesn't know that, is Naruto himself. Of course, there is much Naruto doesn't know." Sakura shook her head. "Anyways, I meant, what do you mean by 'help'?"

Hinata sighed, cursing how obvious she's been. But thanking her luck that Naruto hadn't caught on. "Well, you know Naruto better than most of us, and he respects you so much-"

"I don't know about that…" Sakura mumbled under her breath.

"But it's true Sakura! Today, all he talked about was how strong you're getting, and how funny you are, and… Well, you get the picture." Hinata frowned, lowering her head again.

Sakura's brows furrowed in thought. _Naruto… Talked about me? The whole time?_ Sakura didn't know why at the time, but it made her a bit happy. She instantly felt guilty, noticing that Hinata didn't share the same feeling of happiness.

Hinata took a deep breath, raising her head to look Sakura in the eyes expectantly. Sakura frowned, a few moments of silence passed between the two. Finally, Hinata broke the silence.

"So, you will help me then? I really do care deeply for him, and if you could just-"

"Just what do expect me to do about this crush of yours?" After a moment, Sakura quickly brought her hand to her mouth, appalled at her small outburst. _Where in the hell did that come from_? She instantly felt even more guilty when she noticed Hinata's hurt expression.

_Now I've really done it, what's wrong with me_?

_You know, It's none of your business how they feel for each other Sakura! Naruto is your friend, and Hinata is your friend, BE SUPPORTIVE!_

_But he doesn't even like her, the idiot still likes me._

_That's what she needs your help with, moron._

_Why should I help, so they can drool over each other instead of a one-sided faint fest?_

_If it helps the team, yes!_

_To hell with the team!_

Hinata watched with increasing curiosity and interest as Sakura seemed to be waging an inner war with herself. Sakura wasn't even paying attention to the Hyuuga girl, she was too wrapped up in the argument with her conscience.

_But that's what this is about, right? You gotta make the team more productive. If Hinata and Naruto got together, this who fainting thing would stop, and they would probably work well together._

…

…

…

_Ahhh…that's what bothering you isn't it? Them going well together._

_No it isn't._

_Yes it is, you're-_

_NO WAY!_

Deciding not to think on it any further, Sakura finally spoke up. "Um, what I meant was, I mean... it's just…"

_YOU'RE JEALOUS!_

"Argh!" Sakura yelled in exasperation.

Hinata jumped in the air a few inches, caught completely off guard. Sakura was attracting a few strange looks from passerby's. Unfortunately - _or fortunately_ - Sakura thought, nobody but her knew of the inner conflict going on within her head.

Sakura sighed, calming herself before continuing.

"Ok Hinata, I think we should just get tea, and we can then lay everything out on the table. That sound good?

Hinata smiled. Sakura noticed the relief pouring through the girl, no doubt glad that her head was still attached to her body.

"Yes, sounds good Sakura. Thanks."

"No problem" Sakura grunted, mentally exhausted.

_Just what am I getting myself into_? _And what's going on in my head?_

-----------------------------

Another chapter, finished! I'm so proud of me! Notice that Sakura is starting to realize a few things, hehe. Don't worry, it's not all that rushed, since it's just the first domino to tip over, so to speak.

It might seem to be moving fast to some people, but like I said this isn't gonna be a very long story. At least, I don't think it is. But my mind is always changing, and as of right now I'm having fun writing this fic! So who knows?

Next chapter coming soon!


	5. Hinata's reasons

A/N: Hey everyone, I'm here with chapter five to Losing Naruto. Kind of a fast update, but since nobody is complaining about that, I guess it's alright, huh? I'm soooo happy that people are enjoying my story, because that's why I'm writing it. I'm so surprised that people are actually reviewing this story, I didn't expect 3 reviews, much less over 30! So updating fast is my way of saying THANKS! Heh, well, enjoy the chapter everyone!

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Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Sakura was not-so-patiently waiting for Hinata to begin the conversation. It had been nearly fifteen minutes since they had entered the tea house, and neither had said a word. Out of boredom and impatience, Sakura had started tapping on the small table.

_No way am I starting this conversation_, Sakura thought to herself. _Who knows what I might say to her, this is my big chance to finally get some answers. I refuse to blow it_.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap, tap, tap, taptaptaptaptap…

"Um, Sakura?" Hinata finally began, sounding a bit rushed.

Sakura smiled to herself. _Finally_, she thought.

"Yes. Hinata?"

Hinata averted her eyes, choosing to look at her small cup of tea instead.

"You see…"

_Alright, here we go_.

"The thing is…"

_Don't say anything stupid, Sakura_.

"The weather. It's nice today, isn't it?"

_Eh_?

"The…. Weather?" Sakura slowly asked, not really understanding what was going on.

"Yes, the clouds are very…" Hinata trailed off, biting her lip.

Sakura rose her eyebrows.

"…Cloudy." Hinata lamely finished a moment later.

"…."

Sakura blinked once.

Then twice.

Once it appeared as if Hinata had gone back into silence, Sakura cleared her throat, getting the young Hyuuga's attention.

"Look, Hinata. Can I ask you something a bit personal?"

Hinata looked taken aback, but quickly nodded twice in agreement. Sakura took a deep breath, deciding to take matters into her own hands.

"Why do you like Naruto?" Sakura bluntly began. "What exactly do you see in Konoha's biggest blonde twit?"

Hinata's eyes bulged slightly, she opened her mouth once, quickly shutting it. She repeated this process a few more times, before finally lowering her head. Sakura frowned, deciding to take a different, more sensitive approach.

"Hinata, it's just… I want to know what makes you want him bad enough to ask someone for help. What is it about Naruto that makes him so irresistible to you?"

Sakura waited, after a few moments she began to worry about Hinata. She still had her head down. _Maybe I went too far? Could she have fainted just thinking about him… Is that even possible_? Sakura questioned herself.

"Um… Hinata?" Sakura began, sincerely hoping the girl hadn't freaked out on her. She breathed a sigh of relief when Hinata's head rose, but relief was quickly overtaken by shock.

_She's… smiling_.

"Sakura, it's so unfortunate." Sakura frowned.

"What is?"

"That you don't see Naruto the way I do…" Hinata giggled, deepening Sakura's already existing state of unease. "Or perhaps it's a good thing."

Sakura's brow furrowed, she was a bit lost.

"Hinata, what-" Sakura began, before she was cut off by Hinata's small hand, which was slightly raised over the table, her palm exposed as a sign for Sakura to stop.

Sakura waited, again surprised by Hinata's straight forwardness.

"Sakura, there is so much you don't see. It's as if you're blind."

_What the hell? **I'M** blind? Then what does that make her?_

Hinata continued, not noticing, or not caring, about Sakura's sudden anger. "Naruto is so special. There really is no other way to describe him."

_Yeah right. Try annoying, relentless, loud, idiotic, pathetic…_

"He's always smiling, always eager to laugh-"

_Always eager to pester me_…

"-and help whenever someone needs it-"

_Naruto doesn't know how to help, he's too dense!_

"-even if that person wronged him in the past, he is so forgiving. And he's always there for his friends, not giving up no matter what."

_Well… at least that much is true_. Sakura admitted. _The guy just doesn't know when to give up. How many years has he been asking me out_? Sakura found herself smiling slightly at that thought.

"And he's so powerful, it amazes me."

Sakura finally spoke up. "Yes, you know that move, the Rasengan? Only 2 other ninjas have ever done it before, and one of-"

"No, Sakura." Hinata cut in, catching Sakura off guard. After a moment, Hinata continued. "I don't mean like that. Yes, he is a very powerful ninja, but I meant his spirit."

Sakura frowned. _His spirit_?

"The way he can reach into people's soul, and find light - even the smallest amount - and bring it to the surface. He's changed so many people for the better, just being himself. He inspired me to become stronger, he made me stronger, just by being Naruto."

_I guess that's true… Just look at Sasuke._

_And look at yourself, Sakura. _

…

_Yeah, She's right. Naruto seems to have that effect on people. _

"And finally," Hinata went on, bringing Sakura out of her thoughts. "It's his smile."

"His smile?" Sakura echoed, unable to stop herself from asking.

Hinata smiled even wider, closing her eyes for a moment, before opening them once again.

"Yes, it's the most amazing smile. The most…. Wonderfully bright smile I've ever seen."

_Wow, this girl really has it bad_, Sakura thought to herself.

"You've noticed it, right?"

"Noticed… his smile?"

Hinata slowly shook her head. "No, not just his smile. The way his face lights up when he smiles, almost like a child. Pure… happiness."

_Lights up? Pure happiness? He smiles all the time, but I really never noticed anything like that_. _Guess it's a Hinata thing_.

As if reading her mind, Hinata continued. "And not that smile he always has on, not that everyday smile. It's his real smile, the smile he gets when…"

Sakura frowned. "Yes?"

Hinata looked up, Sakura noticed a hint of tears in her large, clear eyes. Sakura's own eyes widened, her brow furrowing with worry. A moment of compete silence. Then another. Until…

"When he talks about you." Hinata quietly finished, her lip trembling, looking Sakura directly in her eyes.

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A/N: Eh, what a strange place to end the chapter, huh? It's just, I don't want to go on for too long, so I thought I'd stop here then update with the next chapter really soon. Besides, I think a good 3 pages is a good place to leave off, since it's not really short, and not so long that I start writing things that don't matter. So many talented writers can make ultra-long interesting chapters…. But sadly, I'm not one of them. It sucks, I know.

Well, I'll update soon, thanks for reading!


	6. Sakura's decision

-1

A/N: New chapter to Losing Naruto! Kind of stating the obvious, I know… well, I hope you guys are enjoying my story! Thanks SO MUCH for the reviews! It's weird that people are actually reading my story… I'm doing my best to write something worth reading. I know these chapters are short, but I promise a quick update, ok?

Well, enough of that, on with the story!

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_When he... Talks about me? But I'm so mean to him, I treat him so badly. Can someone who constantly rejects you really make a person that happy._

_Think about Sasuke, moron. He made you happy_.

_But_...

Sakura was speechless. Something about Hinata's last comment… It just made her world stand still. And everything came tumbling down, as the young Hyuuga began to cry.

"Hinata?" Sakura whispered, leaning over to come closer to her friends' face. "Are you alright?"

_Dumb question_.

Hinata quickly began to wipe her eyes with her sleeve, taking deep, calming breaths. Sakura patiently waited, choosing not to say anything else for the moment. After a minute or two, Hinata rose her head, the only evidence of her breakdown was her slightly puffy eyes and red nose.

Hinata cleared her throat. "I'm - so very sorry, Sakura." Hinata bowed once, quickly raising her head to look Sakura in her eyes. "It's just, a bit hard for me. To be honest, it really hurts. Hearing the way he speaks of you… I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous."

Sakura sighed, putting her hand over her face, letting everything sink in. After a moment, she carefully began. "Hinata, you don't have to apologize. It's alright, and…" Sakura took her hand from her face, making eye contact with Hinata. "And… I get it. To a certain extent, I get what you're saying."

Hinata smiled, relief evident in on her small face.

"And I think I understand what it is you want from me." Sakura slowly started, deciding to choose her words very carefully. "You want me to help you be confident in front of Naruto. Support you, am I right?"

Hinata's smile widened, she quickly nodded twice. "Yes, that's right."

Sakura took a deep breath.

"And, you want me to speak to Naruto for you?" Sakura questioned, "Make sure he notices you, talk to him about you, mention positive things…. am I on the right track?"

Another nod.

"Good."

Silence.

Hinata averted her eyes for a moment, then once again made eye contact with Sakura.

"So… will you help me?" Hinata hopefully asked with a small smile, eagerly awaiting her answer.

….

….

A deep breath.

And another.

"Look, Hinata, the truth is, I can't-"

…. _Do this_.

Hinata's smile faltered, she bit her bottom lip, quickly breaking eye contact with Sakura.

"I can't…" Sakura lowered her head.

_Just finish the sentence! You can't help because for some reason, you don't want them together. You selfish, good for nothing-_

_Enough_!

"…. Yes, Sakura?" Sakura's head shot up upon hearing Hinata's small, defeated voice.

_I can't do this_.

Sakura took a deep breath, her decision made. Better or for worse.

"I can't - can't stand to my friends in pain. So, of course I'll help you!" Sakura summoned the brightest smile she could muster. "I'll make sure you and Naruto end up together. I promise."

_There. _

Hinata was frozen for a few moments, until finally breaking into a huge grin, her face lighting up. Sakura couldn't believe this was the same girl that had looked so miserable just moments ago.

"Sakura, t-thank… Thank you so much!" Hinata squealed, practically jumping over the table to catch Sakura in a bone-crushing hug.

Sakura forced a laugh, hugging the girl back, smiling in-turn.

"It's nothing, Hinata, really. I'm just happy I can help!" Sakura lied, letting Hinata go, she moved to stand away from the small table. Hinata also let go, her smile still going strong as ever.

"Hinata," Sakura began, "I think I need to get some rest. Would you mind if we called it a day for now?"

Hinata smiled. "Of course not, please, don't let me keep you."

"Thanks for understanding. We'll talk more tomorrow, ok? I think I just need to rest for now."

Hinata nodded, bowing quickly to Sakura. "Good day, Sakura. And thank you again. You have no idea how happy you've made me."

Sakura forced another smile.

_All this fake smiling and lying is making me sick. _

_You'll help them, then?_

_I have no choice. I promised her. _

_That's right. Besides, these jealous feelings, they're just your selfishness… right?_

_Right. But then… why does it hurt so much?_

…

_You'll have to figure that out on your own. It's... Complicated. Good luck._

Sakura shook off her thoughts, noticing Hinata watching her with curiosity. "Yes, same to you, Hinata. I'll see you tomorrow, bye for now."

With a final bow, Sakura left the tea house, running back home as fast as she could.

-------------------------

**SLAM**

Sakura slammed her door shut, leaning on the nearest wall, her eyes closed. A single tear ran down her face, and with a groan she furiously wiped it away.

Sakura was tired.

_You are an idiot, Sakura_.

_Yeah_.

_What are you going to do now_?

…_. What's going on with me_? _Why do I feel like… Like my chest is collapsing_?

_I wonder, why did you promise to help her, if you obviously don't want to? Can you even help her?_

….

_Do you really even want to help her_?

_Who knows. But I made a promise, so I haven't got a choice_.

_How admirable_.

_Yeah, right._

Sakura sighed. Ever since her talk with Hinata, she had been so confused. It felt as if she were trying to grasp a larger than life concept. Which she knew was silly. She had been thinking about her current situation on the way home, trying to find some explanation as to why she felt so uneasy. Running through Konoha at top speed, she had hoped to leave some of her uneasiness behind.

It didn't work.

Sakura sighed in exasperation, grabbing her headband and roughly removing it before throwing it on her bed. Just a few days ago, things were so simple. Naruto would annoy her, she would hit him, he would whine, she would say something like "you deserved it", and everything would go on like normal. But now… Hinata wants Naruto. _Hinata wants Naruto_, Sakura repeated in her head.

_And for my own cruel, selfish reasons, I don't want to let him go_.

And with that final thought, Sakura groaned, falling onto her bed, not caring about the metal plate digging into her hip. Nor did she care that the sun was still out, or that her shoes were still on. She needed to close herself off to the world, needed to pretend nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

Needed to forget about that blonde moron Naruto Uzumaki.

----------------------

A/N: Yay, chapter done! I hope you guys like it! If you notice something wrong, feel free to give feedback in a review. Like, if I'm dragging on too much, or moving too fast. I can't really improve if I have no idea what I'm doing wrong, lol. So I'd appreciate it! Thanks, and I'll update soon!


	7. Revelations

A/N: Hey everyone! I love my reviewers, thanks SO much! I can't believe it - 50? I really thought nobody would read it, much less like it. So to say it's a shock would be an understatement. Thanks again! Anyways, hope you guys like this one!

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_… You've noticed it.. Right? …_

…_his smile?_

……_It's the most amazing…_

…_bright…wonderful…bright…_

_When he talks about you._

Sakura woke with a start, wincing in pain. The metal plate of her headband was digging painfully into her thigh, and to make matters worse, her window was open, letting in the cold midnight air of Konoha. Unfortunately, she hadn't bothered getting a blanket before going to sleep. Or taking off her shoes.

_Great_. Sakura thought miserably, _I'm freezing, this stupid headband is killing me, my feet hurt, and… I can't even get away from this Naruto crap in my sleep!_

Sakura groaned, rolling over onto her back, she grabbed her headband, flinging it across the room carelessly. She didn't even blink when it hit and knocked over something that was obviously glass, and was now obviously broken. She didn't care at this point, because all she could think about was blonde hair. Or rather, the moron attached to the blonde hair.

Which led her to think about the shy girl who was attached to the moron who was attached to the blonde hair.

Another groan.

_Why am I such a horrible person? Am I one of those girls who doesn't want to see anyone happy? No, that's not it, I'm perfectly happy for Temari and Shikamaru. Then what could it be?_ Sakura questioned herself, going over possible reasons for her sudden jealousy and possessiveness over Naruto. Nothing seemed to fit, each conclusion she came to was more ridiculous than the last.

_It doesn't really matter, does it? You made a promise, so whatever happens at this point on, you can't go back on it_.

"That's right.." Sakura muttered out loud to herself.

_So? Stop thinking and rest, tomorrow is a day full of training. With Naruto and Hinata, no less_.

Yet another groan.

"I hate my life." Sakura sighed, throwing her forearm over her face. She was completely sick of this whole situation. The very thought of it make her stomach twist. She wanted to hate Hinata, wanted to be bitter and spiteful, wanted to curse her name - but found that she couldn't. It wasn't Hinata's fault Sakura didn't have the guts to say no. Nor was It Hinata's fault that Sakura was a selfish person.

_It's partly her fault that I'm not getting sleep though_, Sakura thought bitterly. _Her and that blonde idiot_.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura decided to put all these thoughts on hold, relaxing her mind and body through deep meditation Tsunade had taught her. After a few minutes, she was finally in a deep sleep, mercifully devoid of blondes and blushing girls.

-----------------------

"TSUNADE -BABA!"

_Why me_?

"HEY!"

_Why_?

TSUNADE-BAAAABAAA!"

This always happened to Tsunade, usually in the early mornings. It seemed as if the brat was bored lately, with the absence of Sasuke, who he absolutely loved to pester with challenges and the like. So instead, he took to bothering her. More than usual.

"HEY! LEMME IN!"

For the past minute or so, the guards at Tsunade's door were having a hard time controlling _Naruto. Seems he's more determined than usual. Maybe it's important_. Tsunade had been hoping that the boy would give up, but no such luck so far. With a deep breath, she finally decided to hear him out.

"FINE!" Tsunade yelled at the door, with a deep calming breath she continued. "Come in, Naruto."

After a small shuffle, her doors burst open, allowing the angry blonde to enter her office. He gave the guards dirty looks, which were probably returned, only it was impossible to know with those ANBU masks. Naruto dusted himself off, striding over to her desk with his hands in his pockets and his chin in the air.

"Finally! Why couldn't you let me in the first time, you old hag!" Naruto spat out, stopping just short of her desk.

Tsunade growled.

"Listen, idiot! You come into my office at 7:30 am demanding to be let in, without an appointment I might add, and now you insult me? What is it you want? And make it quick!"

Naruto pouted, making himself look like a 12 year old boy all over again. It amazed Tsunade, how he could look so handsome and mature, and then two seconds later look like the bratty little pest she had met years ago.

"Hey, Tsunade-baba, you ok?" Naruto questioned, noticing her far away expression.

Tsunade shook her head, "Yes Naruto, I'm fine. Now what is it you wanted?"

Naruto gave her a strange look before shrugging with one shoulder, remembering what he was there to say.

"If you say so. Anyways, I needed to ask you a question. Why wasn't I recruited by ANBU?"

_Oh god. Why me_?

Tsunade sighed. "Look Naruto, can we talk about this another time? There are a lot of factors that contributed the ANBU's deci-"

"Screw that!" Naruto cut in, thoroughly pissing off Tsunade. "I'm stronger than Sasuke! I'm also stronger than Neji-"

Now it was Tsunade's turn to interrupt.

"What are you talking about? Neji is currently on a mission with Rock Lee."

Naruto's jaw dropped, "LEE? Lee is in ANBU too? You're kidding right? Fuzzy-eyebrows got in but I didn't? That's just perfect, why not recruit Konohamaru while they're at it?"

"BRAT!" Tsunade yelled, stomping her heel on the floor, making a large crack. Naruto looked at her, eyes wide open in fear. Once she was sure to have his attention she continued.

"First of all, how did you know about Neji being recruited?"

"Aha! I knew it, she was tell-" Naruto froze in mid sentence, jaw dropped, looking at Tsunade in fear once again.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. _So a girl told him? A girl who knows Neji well enough to be aware of his recruitment. A girl who knows Naruto well enough to tell him something like this. A girl who would tell him something that was supposed to be TOP SECRET_.

Tsunade thought only for a second before coming to a conclusion.

_The Hyuuga girl_. _I'll deal with her later_.

"So it was the Hyuuga, was it?"

"N-no, it was-"

"Silence! It's no use lying, Naruto! She's the only girl in the village who would risk serious trouble - including suspension - to tell you something you were better off not knowing in the first place!"

Naruto lowered his eyes, making Tsunade feel bad for what she said, before remembering she had to be stern with the boy. Pushing her sensitivity to the back of her mind, she continued.

"Moving on. Second of all, Lee is very powerful, and you would do well not to underestimate him."

Naruto looked up, his eyes wide. "I don't think he's weak! It's just…not really fair."

Tsunade sighed. _Sometimes he really can act like a child_.

"Lastly, I've been trying to decide weather or not to discuss this with you, but I see I have no choice in the matter. You deserve to know why you are not in ANBU."

Naruto's eyes bulged, he seemed to grow a few inches as he put both hands on Tsunade's desk, leaning over. _Eagar as always_, Tsunade mused, watching Naruto a few seconds before deciding to finally tell him everything.

"R-really, you're gonna tell me?" Naruto asked in utter disbelief.

Tsunade closed her eyes. After taking a deep breath, she put both elbows on her desk, resting her chin in her palms.

"Yes, so listen well. What we are about to discuss must not leave this room, do you understand? You can tell the people in your team, since this will eventually effect them,but only those you know will not spread the news, since I have yet to officially announce this. Are we clear?"

Naruto nodded vigorously, he was now chewing on his bottom lip in excitement, his foot tapping in impatience. Tsunade considered torturing the boy for a few minutes but thought better of it.

Deep breath.

"The truth is, you were recruited by ANBU." Tsunade braced herself.

"WHAT!"

_I knew it_.

"Calm yourself, brat! And no more interruptions! I'll explain everything." Tsunade yelled, reaching the limit of her patience with the blonde. After a moment, Naruto finally gave in, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

_Ever the child_.

"Now, as I was saying!" Tsunade spat out, before taking a deep calming breath. "You were recruited by ANBU, in fact, you were their first choice. They've shown interest in you since you turned 15." Tsunade noticed Naruto was about to explode with the effort of not interrupting, so she quickly went on. "The simple fact is, I would not allow it. The reason for that is…"

_Deep breath. Just gotta tell the brat and be over it_.

"You are to begin your training soon, directly under me. You are to be the 6th Hokage."

Silence.

Silence.

_Thud_.

"Naruto!"

-----------------------------------

A/N: Good place to leave off? Not really a cliffhanger, but I will start the next chapter off right to her waking him up. Good thing I already have ideas about that one, so it shouldn't take too long at all. Until next time!


	8. Awakenings

-1

A/N: New chapter! Trying to make them longer now, since I have the best reviewers known to man. For those of you who were waiting, the love story is finally gonna move on a bit in this chapter! I'm so sorry, but trust me, this Naruto Hokage thing has it's purpose. So after a little bit more of that, we'll move on to Sakura.

Ok, that's all! Enjoy the chapter!

---------------------------

Naruto had been out for an hour and a half, and Tsunade was getting really tired of waiting. She wasn't too eager to wake him up, so she had yet to even try, but she figured that sooner or later she would have to deal with the boy, and might as well get it over with now. Concentrating all of her chakra to her palms, she rested both hands on his forehead, channeling it through her fingers. Once he began to stir, she sighed deeply, preparing herself for the onslaught of questions.

_Maybe he'll get amnesia_, Tsunade thought hopefully, imagining the possibilities of "reprogramming" Naruto. _I could lie and tell him he's **not** an annoying little pest, but would that even work? Guess it's worth a try. _Tsunade smirked, the prospect of a memory-less Naruto was looking better by the second.

"Oi, Tsunade-baba, you enjoying this?" Naruto asked, noticing the small smile on her face. His voice was strained, he winced while lifting his head from the small couch in Tsunade's office.

"Brat, lower your head, you'll faint again."

Naruto scowled. "Don't tell me what to you ya old bag!"

"Damn you, show some respect!"

"I told you, don't tell me what to do!"

"Why you annoying little….!"

"OW!"

"Now keep that big mouth of yours shut for once!"

"Uhhhhh..."

"Quit you're whining!"

"Shove it, hag!"

"AH! My arm! What is with you, woman!"

"QUIET!"

Silence.

Tsunade took a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself. It seemed as if the brat lived to irritate her. She knew she would probably never get him to treat her with respect, but knew it was because that's just how Naruto is. _An_d _that's how he always will be_, Tsunade reflected, imagining Naruto telling off the leaders of the other villages when he is Hokage.

_That's right_.

"Hey, Naruto?" The blonde turned his head slowly to look her in the eye, brows furrowed, and frown in place. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've just been beaten by an old hag with superhuman strength, you?"

_Must. Not. Strangle. Future_. _Hokage_.

Tsunade's hands were balled into fists and were shaking with the effort of not punching the boy through the wall. Or the ceiling. Or the building.

"Naruto." Tsunade began slowly, her voice was low, and both of her eyes were closed. This would have frightened anyone with half a brain…of course, Naruto was never all that bright.

"Tsunade-baba, can you hurry it up? I'm really tired, but I think _someone_ might have given me a concussion when she whacked me over the head!" Naruto's voice had risen in volume, so much so that by the time he had finished what he was saying, he was practically yelling.

Another deep breath.

And another.

"Naruto, do you remember what I told you before you lost consciousness?" Tsunade asked, keeping her tone even, with great effort.

Naruto's face screwed up in concentration, before he finally remembered, his face lighting up more and more by the second. He looked like he was gonna explode, and sure enough, he did.

"HOKAGE!" He screamed, jumping off the couch and pulling Tsunade into a huge hug. "Hokagehokagehokagehokagehokagehokagehokage-"

"NARUTO!" Tsunade bellowed, pulling him off her with one hand, and throwing him back on the couch. He looked to be fazed for a second, but quickly recovered.

"You weren't joking, were you? I'm gonna be Hokage…right?" Naruto asked hopefully, only the tiniest speck of worry in his eyes.

Tsunade sighed. "Yes, of course. I wouldn't joke about such a serious thing! You will be the next Hokage, which is why I couldn't allow you to join ANBU. It would be too risky, the future of this village is something I'm not willing to take a chance on."

"Wow.." Naruto began, his mouth wide open, looking at Tsunade with an expression much like shock. "You really are serious about this. I really am…gonna be the sixth Hokage. Me."

Tsunade allowed herself a small smile.

"Don't be so shocked, brat. You deserve it."

"I…thank you, Tsunade-sama."

"Eh?" Tsunade was dumbstruck by this sudden display of respect. For a second she thought she was imagining it, but once she saw the Naruto bowing - yes, bowing - his head to her, she knew this was for real. She didn't know how to deal with a polite, respectful Naruto, and was at a loss.

"Naruto, it's alright. You've earned it."

Naruto looked up at her and smiled, and she couldn't help but smile back.

_This boy really has softened me. _

------------------------------

Sakura woke the next morning in good spirits, even though her favorite picture frame was broken and she was freezing since she had once again forgotten to get a blanket before going to sleep. She couldn't understand why she was in a good mood, but decided it had something to do with her dreamless sleep after waking up during the night. Her relief over that made everything else seem not so bad.

_Wait….training_.

Except for that.

With a groan, Sakura got out of bed, getting dressed at top speed. If her clock was right, she was already over two hours late to the training grounds. Which wasn't a big deal, since they had all been late from time to time, but she was hoping to get there before Naruto and Hinata so she could get some real training in before having to deal with that mess.

_Maybe they'll be later than me_, Sakura hoped, running out the door without even getting anything to eat first. She'd just have a big lunch, it was no big deal. Sakura cursed not being able to sleep, and decided to blame it on Hinata. _She's barely on the team, and already making things difficult for me. The sooner I get her off my back the better. _

_Sakura, you're being mean again_.

_Gah, I don't care! I'm hungry already, and lunch isn't for another four hours. I'm gonna go in_sane.

_Looks like you're already there_.

"AH, shut up!"

"Sakura?"

Sakura spun around, finding herself face to face with her former sensei, Kakashi. He was looking at her over his book, his visible eyebrow was furrowed and his eye expressed concern and a little worry. _Oh god, now he thinks I'm crazy_, Sakura thought miserably.

"Kakashi?" No matter how many times she said it. Sakura still felt weird calling him by only his name. He refused to allow them to call him 'sensei', said it put him on a different level than they were. But Sakura still thought it was too much for Kakashi to expect her to consider herself on his level. She had grown strong over the years…but not as strong as him. Not many were as strong as the great Copy Ninja of Konoha, Sharingan Kakashi. But she would, of course, respect his wishes.

Kakashi continued to eye her with curiosity, before finally looking back down at his book. "So, Sakura. Who were you speaking to just now?" he asked casually, turning a page.

"Me? What? Oh, yeah, well I was, um.."

"Arguing with yourself?"

"Wha-? N-no, of course not!" Sakura replied defensively, cursing herself for sounding so nervous. _It's not like he can read minds, Sakura_!

"Right." Kakashi said simply, turning another page in his novel.

Silence fell between them, and they stood in the walkway before they finally began to walk side by side to the training grounds on the other side of Konoha. After a few minutes Sakura began to think about the issue of Naruto and Hinata, and how the day would go. She had no doubt it would be a bad day, since it seemed that lately everything involving those two somehow made her life harder.

They were her friends still, of course, but all these feelings of jealousy she had been feeling lately made her want to strangle them both in their sleep. This of course made her feel horrible, but that only lasted a few minutes before an image of Naruto and Hinata kissing would somehow pop into her head, causing her to throw the nearest object against the nearest wall. Or at the nearest person, depending on the circumstances.

"Kakashi, I think I'm going crazy."

"Hm?" Kakashi muttered, looking over at her from behind his book.

"Well, can I ask you something?"

Kakashi looked taken aback for a moment before finally nodding, putting the small book into one of his pockets, shocking Sakura completely. _Wow, guess I really have his attention. Now I feel kind of on the spot. Just perfect_.

"Um, well you see, it's like this.." Sakura began, not even knowing where to start. She did know that it would be wise to leave out details, just in case. "I have this friend, who asked for my help." Sakura looked up at him expectantly.

Kakashi waited a few moments, then rose an eyebrow, obviously wanting her to continue.

"Oh, that's it. She just wants my help."

"Well, what did she need help with? Is it a mission of some sort, because you know how busy it's going to-"

"Oh, no, nothing like that!" Sakura quickly cut in, deciding she would have to get a bit more specific. "She wants my help in getting something, something she's wanted for a while now."

Kakashi nodded once. "And you could help her?"

"Well, yeah, there is some stuff I could do. But lately, It's like, for some reason I just don't want to. And I've been losing sleep over it, it's really starting to interfere with my life."

"Well, Sakura" Kakashi began, "Perhaps you should say no this time, If it's giving you this much trouble."

Sakura groaned.

"That's just it, Kakashi! I already agreed to help her, I promised and everything." Sakura replied miserably, hanging her head low.

"Well, that's an interesting problem you have then." Kakashi casually said, earning a dirty look from Sakura, which he ignored. "Could it be possible that you want the same thing she wants?"

_Me…want Naruto_? Sakura frowned, taking a few moments to think about what Kakashi said before responding.

"But it's been in my reach for so long, practically begging me to take it-" _Literally begging m_e, Sakura thought to herself "-and I haven't even thought twice about it. What kind of person am I if I only want it after someone shows interest?" Sakura questioned, feeling sickened with herself.

"Well, Sakura, that depends."

"It depends?"

"Yes. You see, on one hand, you could really have no interest in this thing and now only want it out of selfishness and greed. On the other hand, you could have wanted this thing all along, but never noticed it because, as you say, you never thought twice about it. This friend of yours showing interest caused you to see what you didn't before, and now you're faced with the prospect of losing it."

Sakura was struck dumb. She could suddenly hear her heart beating, she felt as if the smallest gust of wind would push her over. Kakashi's calm voice brought her out of her shock, saying what deep down, she also knew to be true.

"Sakura, if you don't mind me saying, I think it's the second one."

"What?" Sakura asked in disbelief, quickly pushing all her feelings far from her mind. "No, Kakashi, it's nothing like that at all."

"…Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course." Sakura lied. She felt horrible about it, but had no choice at this point.

"Huh. Well, I suppose you would know better than me. I'm sure it's not the other one, though. You're simply too kind a person to be so selfish and greedy."

"Yeah?" Sakura questioned, looking up at Kakashi hopefully.

"Yeah, trust me." Kakashi answered, his eye crinkled, evidence of a kind, wide smile underneath his mask.

Sakura sighed with relief, glad to have that off her shoulders. Kakashi had become very special to her, and she trusted him above many others. If he had that much faith in her, it couldn't possibly be misplaced. He was simply too wise for that. Sakura knew, that no matter what, she couldn't break a promise. She also couldn't risk losing her friend. She knew what she had to do.

_I have no choice_.

"Thank you for your help, Kakashi. I'm sorry for troubling you with this."

Kakashi lowered his head for a moment before raising it again.

"No trouble at all, I'm glad I was able to help. I trust you know what you're going to do, then?"

Sakura smiled, picking up the pace , moving a few steps ahead of Kakashi in the process.

"Yup! I'm going to be a good friend, and follow through on my promise."

Sakura looked back at Kakashi one last time and smiled, before hurrying ahead to the training grounds. Once the familiar area was in sight, Sakura noticed Hinata and Naruto already there, waiting for them under a tree.

She knew that one day she would have to deal with the nagging feeling deep inside, the one that told her that Kakashi was right. The feeling that told her that her worst fear is losing the boy she once deemed worthless. That same feeling that reminded her the boy had grown up, that he was still the sweet, generous, person. Only now he was maturing into a man, strong and handsome.

That same feeling…she would just have to ignore.

Because she made a promise. And while she watched Naruto training, the sun illuminating his golden locks, his smile making the day ten shades brighter, she came to yet another realization.

_I don't deserve him_.

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A/N: ducks flying objects I know, so it wasn't really the three of them together, but Sakura needed to come to terms with her feelings, right? Come on, the girl was in the dark for too long! I SWEAR the next chapter will have naru/saku/hina moments. Does anyone think they know how it will end? I think it's gonna be at the most five more chapters, but we'll see.

I'll update soon, I finally know how it's gonna end! Yay me!


	9. Confidence, Hyuuga

A/N: I was hoping for a longer update, but since I have writers block, this is unfortunately the best I could do. I hope you guys enjoy it! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so thank you!

And remember people, if you have any thoughts, ideas, comments, or anything leave them in a review. How else will I improve? And I love hearing your ideas about my story, all the different views are so interesting! Well, enough of me, and on with the chapter!

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"BIG NEWS!"

Sakura, Hinata, and even Kakashi all winced, jumping a few feet in the air as well. None of them could understand why he had to yell so loud, especially since they were sitting in a small circle. But alas, some things about Naruto simply could not be explained.

Sakura was about to chide Naruto for his unnecessary outburst, when Hinata suddenly spoke up, thoroughly shocking Sakura.

"Naruto-kun, what's your news?"

Three heads all whipped in Hinata's direction, facing the usually quiet, always stuttering girl with expressions akin to utter disbelief. Only Sakura's expression was mingled with slight annoyance. Kakashi had even looked up form his book to gawk at Hinata momentarily before returning his attentions to the orange novel. There were a few more moments of silence before Naruto finally spoke up, tearing his gaze from Hinata to face the group again.

"Right, Hinata. Ok, here goes!" Naruto looked at Hinata one more time, nodding once, obviously congratulating her on her newfound confidence.

_Does he have to openly oogle her right here?_

_Is his admiration really a crime?_

_Oh, shut up._

_I sense hostility._

_I sense a beating._

_Self mutilation now? _

_Not me! Look at her, all adoring-eyes and since when does she not stutter?_

_I'd say since someone told her she'd help her get the guy of her dreams. Nothing like a promise to steel someone's confidence, eh?_

_Yeah, I'm an idiot, I know. Just gotta…_

_Grin and bear it?_

_Yeah, whatever._

"Sakura…?" Naruto called out, breaking Sakura from her thoughts. She was a bit dazed for a second, before smiling at him.

"Sorry Naruto, please continue."

"T-thanks, Sakura.."

Sakura let out a small laugh, "don't thank me, Naruto. Just continue!" Sakura urged him, good naturedly. He looked slightly taken aback, before smiling brightly at her.

_Wow_. Sakura thought, staring at Naruto before lowering her head. _That's it then. That's the smile she was talking about. It's…_

_Beautiful. Really beautiful. So he only smiles like that for me? _Sakura thought, remembering what Hinata had told her before_. For me. _

Sakura enjoyed that thought before looking over at Hinata, which quickly knocked her down from cloud nine. Hinata's face was etched with poorly concealed pain as she looked from Naruto to Sakura, taking in their exchange. Sakura immediately felt horrible. _I've gotta stop this, and now_. Sakura thought, getting ready for what she knew she had to do.

"Naruto, what's with the idiotic grin?" Sakura inwardly grimaced, watching the light from his face vanish as if he were slapped. Sakura pushed all feelings to the back of her head, continuing as if it weren't hurting her to do so. "If you have something to say, say it."

Everything was silent. The tension in the small clearing could be cut with a knife, the only one who it didn't seem to effect was Kakashi, who was still nose-deep in his book. Hinata was watching Naruto, who in turn was watching Sakura, who in turn was keeping her head down to hide her emotions.

Silence.

"Um…yeah, that's right. I have news." Sakura grimaced, noticing the defeated tone in his voice. Before she could hate herself even more, Naruto began to speak again, but something was different. She finally rose her head to look at him, and what she saw made her feel more guilty than the sight of him miserable ever could.

He was smiling.

But it wasn't that brilliant, bright smile from before. No, this was that artificial smile, the smile that said 'everything is great!' while really, if you looked closely enough, everything wasn't.

_I just never bothered to look close enough_.

It was making Sakura sick, so she decided to lover her head, while listening to Naruto speak in that loud, cheerful voice.

_So fake_.

"So, listen up everyone! This Saturday, you're all invited to Tsunade's house for a party!"

"A…party, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

"Yep! I'm allowed to invite everyone I want, and I'm inviting you guys too!"

Sakura frowned, real curiosity bringing her out of her thoughts.

"So, what is the party for?" Sakura questioned, making sure to remove all unnecessary venom from her tone. She had to be careful not to be really nice, while also trying to keep her bitterness over the situation out of her voice. It wasn't fair, but alas, she made a damn promise.

"It's a SURPRISE!" Naruto screamed, causing Sakura to instinctively bring her fingers to both temples, soothing her headache away with light chakra treatments.

"Na-ru-to!" Sakura growled out in warning, really not wanting to hit him while he was finally acting like his usual self again. The quiet Naruto was something she wasn't accustomed to. With mild shock she realized that she's never want to grow accustomed to a quiet Naruto. It just wasn't him. _And he's ok the way he is_, Sakura thought to herself.

"Eh, sorry, Sakura!" Naruto smiled, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Well, I'm not allowed to say anything yet, because I decided to let all of you know at the same time. This Saturday at 7:00 pm, at Tsunade's place." Naruto waited a moment before continuing. "So - will you guys come?"

Sakura frowned, noticing an unmistakable amount of nervousness and - fear? - were in his voice, and even in his eyes. Before she could contemplate it further, Sakura noticed a small poking sensation on her back. Upon further inspection, she discovered that it was a finger. Attached to a hand. Attached to a blushing girl.

_Oh, how I hoped she'd gotten over that. _

_The girl spoke to Naruto without stuttering, Sakura. One miracle at a time_.

With a small sigh, Sakura turned to Hinata. "What is it?" she whispered urgently, quickly glancing back to noticed Naruto's puzzled face. Before she could make an excuse, Kakashi began questioning Naruto about a dress code of all things, distracting the blonde.

_Thank god for perverted sensei's! _With that thought Sakura excused herself and Hinata, moving over to a space a few trees down. Once they were out of earshot, Sakura turned to Hinata, trying not to let her frustration show.

"Now, what did you need, Hinata?"

"Well, Sakura, it's just…"

"Yes?" Sakura urged the girl to continue, her already thin patience getting thinner by the moment.

"Sakura, what do I do?" Hinata questioned desperately, biting her lower lip.

"About what?" Sakura ground out, getting annoyed quickly. "Just say you'll go."

"Can you?"

…..

"Excuse me?"

"Can you tell Naru-"

"Hinata, I heard you the first time!"

"I'm sorry, I just don't know how to accept his invitation.."

Sakura groaned.

"Look, Hinata. Are you listening?" Hinata nodded, her brows creased in concentration. "All you have to do is go up to him and say you'll go. It's that simple!"

"R-really?" Hinata asked in disbelief.

"Yes, really!" Sakura reassured her, putting a hand on Hinata's shoulder in support. "Just walk up to him, look him in the eye, and say 'Naruto, I would love to attend your party', smile, and walk away. That's it!"

She watched carefully as Hinata looked down, took a deep breath, and finally squared her shoulders, raising her head with newfound confidence.

"Ok, I'm ready, Sakura!" Hinata said, sounding completely sure of herself.

Sakura smiled, giving Hinata a thumbs up before turning the girls shoulders, and giving her a slight nudge in Naruto's direction.

"Alright then, Hinata! Go for it!"

"…Yes! And Sakura?"

"Hm?" Sakura questioned, watching Hinata with curiosity.

"Thank you."

Sakura was stunned for a moment, then finally smiled softly, responding with a small "don't mention it" before giving Hinata another small push in the right direction.

She watched as Hinata took her first unsure steps before breaking into a confident stride. She watched as Hinata shyly approached Naruto, moving his attention away from the clouds he was looking at. She watched as Hinata smiled, saying words she couldn't hear, but knew nonetheless. She watched as Naruto stood up, catching Hinata off guard, pulling her into a massive hug. She watched as Naruto tried waking Hinata from her sudden bout of unconsciousness.

She watched all of this.

Knowing full well that she was losing him just a little bit more, right before her eyes.

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A/N: I know, not much happened, but this is setting everything up for the party, which I will write once my writers block goes away, because I want to make it good! Yeah, the Hokage announcement will take place there, but a party isn't a party without some teen angst and drama, right?


	10. Feelings

A/N: SO SORRY! I really was planning on updating a few times a week, with short chapters, but thing have been crazy. To top it all off, I had crazy writers block, so it was impossible to write. I hope you all accept this longer-than-usual chapter as a big apology, and enjoy reading it!

By the way…THANKS for the reviews! You really are all my favorite people, I can't believe my little story almost has a hundred reviews…tear…you all rock! Your encouragement means a lot to me, and your suggestions and pointers are extremely helpful, so again, thanks!

Well, here is the next chapter!

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"But will he like it?"

"Eh?"

"I mean, does he really like this color? And what about the straps, will he think I'm…cheap? I don't know…"

_What? I have this dress in another color_!

Sakura was tired. The party was only a day away, and they had yet to find the perfect dress for Hinata to wear. They had been to almost every shop in all of Konoha, and were down to the last one. If they didn't find one here…well, Sakura had seen Hinata's clothes, and it wasn't exactly what Sakura would call 'sexy'. And that's what they were aiming for.

_If only she wasn't so picky!_

"Oh no! I-I ripped it!"

Sakura sighed.

"Hinata, that's the slit. It's supposed to be there."

"B-but surely…if I go like this…everyone will-" Hinata suddenly broke off, her face growing bright red, eyes bulging out of their sockets. "-Naruto will-and then he'll, and we, and I'll…and oh no…." Hinata trailed off, crossing her arms and hunching her shoulders.

"Relax, Hinata." Sakura said, making sure to add a calming tone to her voice. She was starting to worry, Hinata was obviously not used to shopping for party dresses. Or any dresses. Of any type. Ever. As long as you didn't count the traditional kimono's she wore for ceremonies, which really didn't count, since you can't really wear them to a casual party like this one.

_I am in way over my head_.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I don't mean to…"

Sakura sighed, calming herself before speaking again.

"Listen, you need to stop apologizing, ok?"

"But-"

"No!" Sakura almost yelled, causing Hinata to jump a few inches into the air. After forcing herself into a state of calm, she continued. "We have gone over this Hinata. Unless you hurt someone, in some way, do not say sorry. Got it?"

"Yes. I'm sor- um, I mean…yes, I understand."

"Good." Sakura simply stated, deciding to leave it at that.

Silence.

"Well," Hinata slowly began, turning from Sakura and grabbing a white dress off the nearby racks. "I'm going to try this one on, ok?" Hinata timidly asked, waiting for Sakura's approval.

"Of course."

Sakura smiled. The small gesture visibly relaxing the young Hyuuga, who made her way behind the changing curtain. It had been an extremely tense week, and it really seemed like it wasn't going to end. Sakura had finally gotten Hinata to the point where she didn't stutter when speaking to Naruto, which still shocked her. Unfortunately, her constant apologizing had been an extremely difficult habit to break, and was still proving to be trouble. She was just too…nice.

_Too nice?_

_Yes, I think she's a little too nice._

_Of course you do. Look how mean you were to Naruto all those years. A lot of good it did you._

_I can't think about this crap anymore, I have a mission to complete._

_Yes, to make the guy you like fall in love with this girl, so they can get married and make little pale-eyed blonde haired brats. Good for you._

_Ugh, I'm sick of arguing with myself, this really can't be healthy._

"Sakura?"

"Eh?" Sakura responded, a bit out of it, since she was still wrapped up in her thoughts. She noticed Hinata looking at her with an expression of curiosity. _I wonder what my face looks like when I'm deep in thought….I'm always getting these weird looks_…

"So, do you think this dress is a good choice?"

Sakura shook off her thoughts, giving her undivided attention to Hinata. She took in the small, wiry frame of the girl before her, noticing how much even her posture had changed the past week. She was so confident now, still shy, but carried herself in a different way than she used to. All in all, Sakura couldn't help but be proud of herself. She transformed the shy, stuttering, fainting girl…into what she believed to be Naruto's dream girl. Someone who was confident, but still shy. Pretty, but not out of reach. She was still the sweet Hinata he knew, but with the help of Sakura, she had matured quite a bit.

She was now wearing a small, thin white dress made of a simple cotton material. It went just past her knees, the hem lined with light pink lace. The neckline cut into an unrevealing V-line, ending with a small pattern of four pink jewels, in the shape of a diamond. The sleeves were a couple inches thick, lined with the same pink lace as the bottom of the dress. Along Hinata's waist, Sakura noticed a silky pink material tying to the back, in a simple bow.

_Well. _Sakura thought_. I guess one can only mature so much before they revert to pink bows and lace_.

_But_, Sakura thought, looking over Hinata once more, _it really does suit her. The white, the innocence of it all. Naruto…he really does deserve this_.

--------------------------------

Fifteen minutes later, Hinata and Sakura were walking out of the store. After finally finding the perfect dress, and shoes and a bag to match, things were looking up. They made their way out of the small shopping district, going in the direction of the tea house they frequently visited lately. They made small talk on the way over, mostly commenting on the weather, and the latest Konoha gossip. Sakura tried to pay attention, but couldn't help thinking about what tomorrow night would bring.

_She's supposed to tell him tomorrow_, Sakura reminded herself, looking down at her feet as the two made their way down the busy Konoha walkways. _Isn't it a little early? Well, she has liked him since she was a kid, so I guess it isn't technically rushing_.

_But…maybe it's too early for me. Too early to see them holding hands. Too early to watch them hug and laugh. If only I could have realized how I feel about Naruto sooner. This party would be my big chance, not hers!_

"Sakura," Hinata began in a small voice, tearing Sakura out of her thoughts. A wave of guilt instantly swept over the pink haired Chuunin when she rose her head, seeing the look of gratitude on the Hyuuga girls face. Once Sakura was looking at her, Hinata continued.

"Thanks so much again! For - well, for everything. I couldn't have done it without you. You're…a great friend."

_Well, that feels like a kick in the gut, doesn't it_?

Sakura forced a smile onto her face, even though she felt like she might cry in frustration. It wasn't fair to Hinata that she felt this way, it really wasn't fair to anyone.

"Please, don't mention it." Sakura took a deep breath. "I just-"

_It hurts_..

"I just want the two of you to be happy." Sakura finally said, willing her voice to be steady. She quickly pulled her hands behind her back, not wanting the other girl to see them shaking. Why was she losing control so easily?

"Sakura, are you ok?" Hinata asked curiously, watching her with an expression that clearly showed she hadn't missed Sakura's drastic change in mood.

"Yeah, of course!" Sakura lied, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "Just, a bit emotional, you know? After all, this week is almost over. Come tomorrow night, you and Naruto should be an official couple!" Sakura finished excitedly, ignoring the feeling of nausea that suddenly came over her.

Hinata giggled, her expression lightening after making sure Sakura was alright. They continued to walk in silence, Hinata obviously too excited to speak, and Sakura too lost in her own inner turmoil to utter a single word.

_How long is it gonna be like this? How long will I have to pretend to be happy for them, while inside I fall apart just a little bit more? Will it end…ever_? Sakura question herself miserably, knowing full well that she didn't know the answers.

"Oh, I love this little shop!" Hinata happily exclaimed, opening the door to the small tea house, "And I'm paying today Sakura, no way am I letting you take the bill two days in a row!"

Sakura smiled, walking into the small shop, deciding that just for today, she would forget about her feelings for Naruto. Instead, she would concentrate on being a good friend. Because, if she were losing Naruto, she was glad that it was to someone like Hinata.

------------------------------------------ The Next Day

Sakura awoke early the next day, considering she didn't have any training, it might have been a very bad thing. But today she couldn't sleep in. Not that she could remember why she had to wake up at 5:30 am on a free day, no, it was simply too early to remember anything.

Sakura stretched, letting out a small "eep!" when her feet came out of the warm blanket, hitting the cold morning air that her partially opened window let in. Groaning loudly, Sakura curled into a ball, pulling the blankets over her head in order to trap in the warmth her body was radiating.

_Too…cold…to…move…_

After a few minutes, Sakura finally decided to get moving, since she knew that when you're cold the best thing to do is move. Even knowing that, Sakura found it extremely difficult to fight off the temptation of her warm, inviting bed, especially once the freezing air chilled her to the bone.

Sakura sighed, walking down the stairs, making sure to tip toe past her parents room, as not to wake them up. After carefully making her way down the stairs, Sakura walked into the kitchen, preparing a small cup of coffee. Once she was finished, she took a few sips of the drink, letting the soothing warmth wake her up a bit. Letting out a small sigh, she made her way over to the refrigerator, cup of coffee still in hand. That was when she noticed it. A note, from her parents.

_That's right_, Sakura mentally kicked herself. _They left last night to vacation in Suna, of all places_. _Well, they do have really a really great Oasis, but sooo much sand_!

Deciding that her parents were, after all, slightly odd, she finally began reading the hastily scribbled note.

'Sakura,

Remember, while we're gone make sure to water your fathers plant, you know how he is.'

Sakura scoffed, remembering the last time her parents went away for a couple weeks. She had forgotten to feed the plant, and needless to say, her father found it in a much different condition then when he left. She had been grounded. For three months. Sakura rolled her eyes at the memory, continuing to read the small note.

'We left you enough money to last you, so don't worry about that. If you need to contact us, you know how. Have fun!

Mom'

Sakura sighed, and was about to open the refrigerator, until she noticed a small message at the bottom of the note.

'By the way, have fun at Naruto's party!'

"………….."

CRASH

"OWWW! Pain! Pain, ow, pain!" Sakura screamed, hopping around the kitchen, holding her foot in one hand. Once she had read that last message, she instantly remembered why she had to wake up early that morning. How could she have forgotten? That dreaded party was….tonight. And now, the hot coffee that covered her foot was causing a painful burning sensation. Could it get any worse?

"SA-KU-RAAAA-CHAAAAN!"

_I. Do. Not. Deserve. This._

"Naruto." Sakura slowly ground out. "What are you doing in my kitchen window?"

Naruto, probably noticing the forced calm in Sakura voice, looked taken aback for a moment. Then, quickly recovering, jumped through her window, as if it were the normal thing to do.

"Why are you holding your foot?"

"Why are you in my kitchen at 6am?"

"Well - I um, was on my way to Iruka's place, since he agreed to take me shopping today. I just wanted to make sure you were coming to my party! It wouldn't be the same without you there!"

Sakura allowed herself a moment to take in what he just said, noticing how it somehow brightened her mood. _So he really cares that much if I go_?

"Of course I'm going, but you could have just called, you know?"

Naruto smiled nervously, lowering his head a few inches.

"Heh, that's what Hinata's father said!"

_Hinata's….father_?

"I already went by Hinata's place, her dad really is loud!"

_Oh_.

_That's right. Hinata. Damn it._

_You have a job to do, Sakura._

…_I know._

"Hey, Naruto?" Sakura began with false happiness, ignoring her foot, which was actually hurting even more than when she first burned it, believe it or not. "Hinata is really excited about the party tonight, so can you do me a favor?"

Naruto lit up, excitedly nodding his head. _Always willing to help a friend, just like Hinata said_.

"Could you, maybe, ask Hinata for the first dance at the party?"

"Well, that's what I was just at her house for!" Naruto happily shouted, making Sakura drop her foot in shock, which only served to double the painful stinging. She winced in pain, which Naruto didn't seem to notice.

"Um, What - what do you mean?"

"Well, the thing is, last night Tsunade-baba told me about some weird dance she wanted to have everyone participate in. I told her I don't dance, and the old woman had the nerve to hit me, just for being honest! So then she told me I needed a partner, and I tried to tell her that Naruto Uzumaki doesn't dan-"

"Your point, Naruto!" Sakura growled out, reaching her limit.

He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. She noticed him suddenly blush a slight crimson color. After a moment, he began to speak excitedly, what he said made Sakura freeze, the stinging pain of her foot a thing of the past.

"…Well, I asked Hinata to be my date!"

Silence.

"You…what?" Sakura asked in disbelief, not really believing what she heard to be the truth. _A simple dance is WAY different than a date_.

_Besides_, Sakura reminded herself, _It's only been a week! He wasn't supposed to like her yet! This isn't right, what's going on_?

"You see, the thing is," Naruto began, suddenly staring down at his feet. "She's been really…I don't know, different lately. She actually talks to me, and she's so nice, and really funny! She doesn't faint anymore, so it's been easier to get to know her, and-" Naruto stopped talking, looking out the kitchen window.

Sakura waited for him to continue, after a few moments she finally lost her patience.

"And?"

Naruto jumped slightly, obviously lost in his own thoughts, shocking Sakura. She had hardly ever seen him look so thoughtful. It almost frightened her.

"Oh, sorry about that, Sakura-chan!" Naruto happily responded, looking back at Sakura. He appeared to be thinking hard about something, before sheepishly smiling at her. "Um, where was I?"

Sakura resisted the urge to hit him very hard. She really cared about him, but he could be such a moron! At times she almost felt sorry for Hinata. Almost.

"You were talking about Hinata." Sakura reminded him in a bored, flat tone. "Her unrivaled beauty, great sense of humor, and lack of fainting"

_I sound bitter_.

_I feel bitter_.

Fortunately, Naruto didn't notice Sakura's slightly bitter tone, he was too excited about remembering what he was about to say.

"RIGHT!" He bellowed, and Sakura swore she saw her bowls on the nearby counter rattle.

"I think I like her, Sakura!"

Sakura forced a bright smile onto her face, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. If Naruto noticed, he didn't say anything.

"You do? That's great!" It felt as if it were someone else saying these things, someone else who couldn't possibly know how much it was tearing Sakura apart.

"Yeah? Thanks, Sakura!"

"No prob-" Sakura began, but was cut off when she was pulled into a suffocating bear hug.

_It hurts so much._

_It-it hurts. So much._

_And yet…this feels so right, bring in his arms - it feels perfect. Why does it feel as if everything has been leading up to this moment? Just having him hold me, nothing has ever felt so right in my life. _

_While feeling so wrong at the same time._

Sakura felt a single tear fall down her face as she stood there, letting herself drown in her feelings, not wanting the moment to end, and not wanting it to go on a second longer. She felt as if she were tasting some forbidden fruit, just by being in his arms, surrounded by his scent, hearing his steady heart beating through his chest.

Then…

He let go.

"Eh, Sakura-chan, sorry about that! Guess I got carried away, hehe." Naruto laughed nervously, taking a few steps back. He began to speak about something involving Shikamaru and Choji, but Sakura couldn't hear was he was saying. She could only recognize pain right now. Pain that had nothing to do with her foot.

_Why did he let go? It's so…very cold._

_Was it always this cold?_

_Have I always been this cold without him? This…empty? This incomplete? _

_What will I do, when he belongs to Hinata? The thought of seeing them together, I feel like I'm going to cry. Or scream. Or - I can't do this._

"I can't go."

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto. But I can't go to the party tonight."

"But! Sakura-chan! You have to go, you're one of my best friends!"

Sakura shook her head, walking to the large table to the left of the kitchen and taking a seat, slowly putting her foot in her lap.

"I'm sorry, Naruto." Sakura began, noticing him sitting down next to her. She didn't take her eyes off her foot, not wanting to see the disappointed look she knew was on his face.

"But why? I thought - I thought you said you were coming?"

"Well, I changed my mind, Naruto. It happens."

"But if you aren't there-"

"What? You'll still have Hinata, why do you need me there?" Sakura knew she was being unfair to Naruto, but couldn't make herself care at the moment. All she could see in her mind was the two of them dancing, laughing, and having fun. It was making her miserable just thinking about it. And sickeningly jealous.

"But you're one of my best friends. Please?"

Sakura ignored his pleading tone, deciding to heal her foot with chakra instead, willing all of her concentration onto the task at hand. Once she was finished, she breathed a sigh of relief, noticing how the pain was completely gone. Before she could move her hand from her foot however, Naruto had gently grabbed her wrist with his hand, causing her to finally look him in the eyes.

He looked so hurt.

_Did I do this_?

"Sakura," Naruto quietly began, his bright blue eyes were boring into hers, making her feel slightly faint. "Please? This is such an important night for me." Sakura couldn't think, couldn't move. His intense gaze was making her feel so small. "And, if not for me, then for Hinata? You two have become such close friends, I know it would really break her heart not to see you there."

Sakura sighed, slowly pulling her wrist from his grasp, and finally breaking eye contact to look at her now fidgeting hands.

_How are you gonna refuse, when he puts it like that?_

_But it's going to be so hard, so painful._

_Think about it this way, it's going to hurt him if you don't go. Are you ok with that, with causing him pain?_

That final thought made up Sakura's mind. She knew how hard it would be to see them together, but more than anything else, she couldn't stand the thought of hurting Naruto. He deserved to be happy, and if she had to suffer for one long, long, _long_ night…then so be it.

Sakura turned to the blonde boy next to her, took a deep breath, and nodded reassuringly.

"Alright then Naruto, I'll come to the party."

_For you_.

"REALLY? Thanks Sakura-chan!" Naruto bellowed, and Sakura was positive she had gone deaf for at least 3 seconds after his outburst.

Sakura slowly stood up, putting a small hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, no big deal. Now, don't you have places to be?" Sakura asked, smiling at what she saw. In the span of five seconds, his expression changed from on of excitement, to questioning, to realization, to fear, and then back to excitement.

"IRUKA!"

_Ok, I definitely went a little deaf there_.

"Ahhhhhhh! Sorry Sakura-chan, see you tonight!" Naruto cheerfully yelled out, before running to the kitchen window, and jumping out in one clean motion.

Sakura sighed, moving to close the window, letting herself relax in her now quiet kitchen. She vaguely noticed how empty it now seemed without Naruto's presence. She quickly pushed those thoughts away before they could fully form, not wanting to go back into those painful feelings. Those feelings that made her feel weak and vulnerable.

She knew she had begun to develop feelings for him, and a week ago she had finally accepted that the feelings weren't the result of selfishness or greed. They were real. But not until he hugged her, giving her a small taste of what she could never have, and had no right wanting in the first place…not until that moment had she realized exactly what had happened.

She had fallen in love with the one guy she could never have.

Just like she had when she was a young girl, when she was naïve, innocent, and thought the man of her dreams was a small stoic boy by the name of Uchiha Sasuke.

_But this is different_. Sakura reminded herself. _This is real_…

_This is Naruto, strong, dependable, sweet Naruto. And I'm not fighting over him with my old best friend. No, I'm giving him to my new best friend. _

_This is me…finally growing up I guess_.

_And, _she thought, letting out a small laugh, _This is going to be one hell of a party._

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A/N: sigh well, chapter 10 is finished! I hope you guys liked it! Again, thanks SO much for the reviews, they really do help me, from the smallest comment, to the longest suggestions, it all helps! You guys are so great, expect chapter 11 - THE PARTY - to come soon!


	11. The Party, Part I

A/N: Hey! Chapter 11 for Losing Naruto - here already! Well, I love my wonderful reviewers, so here is a fast update! All of you are too nice, a HUUUGE THANK YOU goes out to every single reviewer! I hope I don't disappoint you all, after all of your wonderful support.

The party is going to be split into a few parts. This is part one! (obviously…the title is a dead giveaway, huh?)

Ok, lets get on with it! Oh, and I apologize ahead of time if anyone is OOC, just in case.

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By 6:00 pm on a warm Saturday evening, the village of Konoha was buzzing with the news of a huge party. Of course, it wasn't supposed to be known by everyone, but with Naruto running around screaming "PARTY" and "SATURDAY! YEAH!" all over the town at random moments throughout the day, people were going to catch on sooner or later.

As Sakura discovered, when she was nearly attacked by gossiping women of the village, who demanded to know where the party was, what it was for, who was going, and who Sakura was going with. To which Sakura would simply answer "none of your business, who knows, everyone but you people, and not a damn clue."

Well, that was only after she was assaulted the first 16 times. Before that she had been rather patient with the nosy women. Of course, it wasn't as if harsh treatment worked on these people, no, as a matter of fact they seemed intrigued at her reluctance to answer their questions. It was only after Sakura punched a hole through a wall (well, half the store came down, in the end…) did they finally back off.

But that was over four hours ago, and Sakura had finally been able to find some peace in her quiet bedroom. She was sitting on a chair, putting on a pair of emerald earrings, using a small mirror that had been propped up on the surface of her dresser.

She had chosen to wear a small black skirt, coupled with a silk, emerald green top. The tight sleeves reached to her elbows, flaring, leaving lose silk around her forearms. She loved how it looked when she picked an arm up, as if she were wearing a kimono with many layers. She had fallen in love with the shirt at first sight, noticing it was elegant, while not being fancy. It complemented her simple skirt nicely. She wore black boots, with hardly any heel. She could never pull of the heels too well. And she had no desire to fall flat on her face at the party.

No way.

_What is this party for, anyways_? Sakura silently asked herself. _Could it be his birthday? No, he would have said something. Besides, his birthday is.._

_Wait_.

Sakura stared into the mirror, her once thoughtful face was now filled with shock as she looked herself in the eyes, almost disgusted with what she saw.

_I…I don't even know when his birthday is. _

_I never even bothered to ask, to show that I cared._

_Why is that?_

Slowly coming to a realization, her face twisting into a grimace. She felt like she was going to be sick. She was sure that at any moment she would run to the bathroom, already feeling the bile rising in her throat.

"It's because I never did care." She whispered out loud, self-loathing evident in her tone and expression.

With one last disgusted look at her self, Sakura roughly slammed the mirror down, wincing as she heard a sharp cracking noise. Bringing both of her hands to cradle her face, she yelled out in frustration, trying to ease even a little of her pain.

Of course, it never worked. Nothing did - not anymore.

She felt as if she would burst any moment, all of the pressure was finally becoming too much. That, coupled with the guilt she felt constantly ever since realizing her feelings for Naruto, was driving her insane. The only time she had felt even the smallest amount of peace in the past week had been when she was in Naruto's arms. She felt safe, cared for, and at peace. Now, all she was left with was guilt. That, and the memory of Naruto's peaceful heartbeat. The heart that could never belong to her.

_Oh, this is just depressing_.

_Hopefully I can let go of this once I_…

On that thought, Sakura stood up from the chair she had been occupying, running over to the small alarm clock next to her bed. The clock read 6:18, and with a short intake of breath, she quickly ran out the door, only stopping to grab her matching purse.

Without looking back, Sakura ran at top speed, thinking quickly.

_Oh no! I've gotta hurry up and catch her, before the party starts_!

_Where is she? The Hokage tower_? Sakura shook her head. _No, the party's starting soon_.

_So then she's either at home, or buying things at the last minute. _

_Which is it? _

_Damnit!_

Grunting in frustration, Sakura finally made her decision. She quickly made her way in the direction of the large tower, not hesitating for a second longer.

_Well, they might now where she is - it's a long shot, but it's_-

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt as she finally spotted the 5th Hokage. Buying - what else? The largest amount of Sake bottles Sakura had ever seen one person holding at a time. She was struck silent for a few moments, simply watching the woman carry the bottles as if it were nothing. After shaking herself from her stupor, Sakura decided to make her presence known. Only, to her extreme frustration she somehow managed to lose track of Tsunade.

Before she could continue her search, however, a booming voice rang out through the busy street, making her jump slightly.

"Sakura! Is there a problem?"

Sakura froze. Turning to her left, her eyes fell upon the form of Tsunade. The woman was standing a few feet from her, sake bottles still bundled in her arms, currently watching her with a bored expression, curiosity barely shadowing her features.

"Huh?" Sakura questioned lamely, mouth still hanging open.

_Is my brain working slower than usual today_?

"You've been frozen of the spot since you saw me leave the store." Tsunade answered simply, still watching the young chuunin.

"Um, oh - yes, I was…are those for the party?"

Tsunade looked down at the bottles, then back up at Sakura, studying the girl for a moment before letting out an exhausted breath.

"Sakura, I haven't got the time for these questions. Is there something you wanted to speak to me about? Something that cannot wait until later?" Tsunade asked, her tone edgy, and only slightly demanding.

Sakura sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before answering her question.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. I have a request."

Tsunade rode her eyebrows briefly, considering the young girl before finally nodding, starting to walk in the direction of the Hokage's tower.

"Help me take these bottles to my office, we can speak there. But only for a moment, understand?"

Sakura smiled, catching up to the Hokage, taking on a fair share of the Sake bottles before walking in step beside her.

---------------------------------------------------

"And you are sure this is what you want?"

Sakura nodded slightly, keeping both of her hands behind her back as she willed herself not to falter under the older, intimidating woman's gaze.

"May I ask what influenced this decision?"

"I-" Sakura began, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to at least look confident. "- I just think it's time for a change is all."

"Hmm."

Tsunade continued to stare at Sakura, as Sakura continued to look a anything _but_ the intimidating Hokage sitting before her. She knew she had to be strong, had to not back down under any circumstances. But she didn't think it was going to be this difficult.

_She's going to say no_.

_What will I do….?_

As Sakura continued to drown in her thoughts, she was oblivious to the small smile that was now gracing Tsunade's features. After a few minutes, the silence was finally broken, sealing Sakura's fate.

"I'll allow it."

Sakura's head shot up, she simply stared at the Hokage in wonder, hoping she had heard right.

"Y-you'll allow it?"

"Yes," Tsunade began, resting her elbows on her desk and folding her hands under her chin. "You are a strong young woman, Sakura. I have faith in you."

"Tsunade-sama…"

Sakura felt pride well up in her chest, she slowly began to smile, allowing the Hokage's words to fully sink in. It was all happening, things would be ok now. Finally she had the perfect solution, and even though it would hurt…the pain it would prevent in the long run was well worth it.

_This way, everyone gets what they want._

_Except for you_. The nagging voice in the back of her head reminded her.

Sakura thought about Naruto and Hinata, but before she could allow her usual feelings of sadness overtake her, she remembered words the boy had spoken that same day.

'… _I think I like her Sakura… She actually talks to me…. So nice…. Really funny…_

…_.I think I like her…._'

As she remembered these fragments of their earlier conversation, she saw Naruto in her minds eye. And he was smiling. Not that fake, exaggerated smile. Not that warm, genuine smile either. It was somewhere in between, and held it's own meaning and shined with it's own beauty.

Yet, for Sakura, one thing was for certain.

_It was a real smile_.

_When he spoke to me about Hinata, he was happy_.

_So that's enough. He'll be happy with Hinata. _

_And that's enough_.

---------------------------------------------------

When Sakura finally made her way to Tsunade's house, she was already 30 minutes late. Walking through the large doors, she noticed the party was already in full swing, music blaring, and people talking happily, some in groups, and some paired off. Sakura took in her surroundings, deciding to get a good feel of the atmosphere before searching for Naruto. She had news for him. She was only afraid of how he would take it.

Sakura slowly made her way through the house, pausing now and then only to witness some her friends antics, and sometimes to make small talk along the way. She was told that the only adults at the party were Tsunade, Iruka, Jiraiya, and Kakashi, and wasn't surprised. Those four were the only adults that Naruto had ever really gotten really close to. They were almost like family to the boy, and it was obvious the feeling was mutual.

Walking into the first long corridor, Sakura heard snippets of an excited conversation, bringing a small smile to her face. A few of her friends, including Ino, Kiba, and Choji were discussing eating habits just outside the empty looking corridor. As she made her way through the hall, she could still hear their conversation carrying through, her smile widened, listening in amusement.

"And you see - they have low fat chips now…"

"Leave him alone, Ino, let the guy eat!"

"I'm just saying! He'd look…well, a lot better…you know…"

"Ahh, you and your diets! Not for us, eh, Akamaru?"

"Hmph! You and you're dog can just-"

"Ruff!"

"Wha? Hey, Ino, Akamaru wants to know why you're blushing!"

"Ehhh…! Stupid dog!"

"HEY!"

Sakura laughed, continuing down the narrow corridor, coming to a sudden halt as she noticed the changed atmosphere. It was much quieter, it seemed as if it were an area secluded from the rest of the party. Sakura was about to make her back the way she came, deciding she could never find Naruto in such a quiet place, before a low voice made her stand still. She recognized that voice…

_Was that Kakashi_?

"….but Sakura…."

Hearing her own name, Sakura quickly closed her mouth.

_Why are they talking about me?_

_Well, if it's about me, I do have a right to know._

_Right?_

_Right._

Her mind made up, Sakura bit her lower lip, completely masking her chakra, blessing her luck for not having been noticed sooner. She took a few tentative steps closer, making sure to stay in the shadows outside the partially opened door at the end of the corridor. She heard a few muffled voices coming from within the room, and feeling particularly brave, balanced her weight on one leg, leaning over as much as she dared.

"IT'S YOUTH!"

Sakura came alarmingly close to losing her balance as the impassioned scream of Mato Gai rang through the hall. She calmed her breath, cursing Gai with ever fiber of her being. Before she could continue to seethe, however, another voice spoke up, forcing Sakura to return to the situation at hand.

"Gai-sensei, could you please refrain from screaming? At least for a little while?" Sakura easily recognized the voice of her teacher in the academy, Umino Iruka.

"But, Iruka! The beauty and vitality of youth waits for NO ONE! Lets allow them to indulge in their youthful fantasies, keeping a watchful eye on the ever present tomorrow that lurks in the shadows of a promising today! With these fists of love, I proclaim-"

"Gai, what are you even talking about?"

"….."

"WHY, MY WORTHY RIVAL, I speak of the trials and tribulations that our wonderful youth must face-"

"Ok. But you see," Kakashi went on in a bored voice, seemingly unaffected by Gai's outbursts. "We were talking about the current situation with Naruto. You know, him-"

"SPEAK NO MORE! For when one has YOUTH-"

"GAI!" Iruka cut in with a shout of his own. Unlike Kakashi, he was clearly being affected negatively by Gai's outbursts, and letting it be known.

_By the entire village_. Sakura gritted her teeth, her frustration mounting.

"It's pointless, Iruka. Just tune him out like I do."

"Does that work?"

"Well, it takes time."

"NARUTO is simply BLESSED with youth, along with young SAKURA! YOUTH! THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH, THE BEAUTY OF SPRING FLOWERS!"

There it was! Her name again. She couldn't figure out what they could be talking about that concerned both herself and Naruto. So she shook it off, deciding to listen only a moment longer, knowing someone was bound to either wander down the hall as she did, or leave the small room that was currently occupied.

"Yes, and speaking of Naruto," Kakashi's voice quickly rang out , obviously not wanting to give Gai another chance to go on about love, life, and youth. "Iruka, you have no reason to be concerned. If nothing else, trust the Hokage's judgment. Both of them can handle these things."

_The…Hokage?_ Sakura wondered, quickly putting the pieces of the small puzzle together.

_She's already told them? That was quick…_

_But what about Naruto?_

Sakura was intrigued, brow furrowing in concentration, mouth bring pulled into a slight frown. She was really hoping the would spit it out already.

"I suppose you're right, again, Kakashi. But still-"

"Well," the voice of the silver haired Jounin cut in, "I admit I was rather shocked over tonight's news about Sakura. Naruto, well, many of us saw that coming."

Sakura inched closer to the door, making sure to remain concealed in the shadows, with her chakra completely hidden. She waited in anticipation.

And waited.

"But - is he ready?" Questioned Gai, sounding grave.

"Hmm. Well, his special training has already begun, last I checked, he was doing better than expected. Tsunade suspects he may surpass even his power."

Silence.

Sakura was waiting with baited breath, now genuinely confused. None of it was adding up. Naruto never mentioned any special training. He was always either with the team, hanging out at the ramen stand, our in…

_Tsunade's office_…

Sakura's breathing became shallow, she shut her eyes tight in concentration, trying her best to keep the balance that had earlier been so easy to control. After a short series of dangerous wobbles, she was finally back in position, just in time to catch Kakashi's next words.

"Either way, Naruto won't officially be Hokage until the ceremony. So I wouldn't worry…"

Sakura didn't hear the rest of what Kakashi said. She couldn't make herself care enough to continue listening. As the seconds passed, all she could hear was her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Her legs were shaking with the effort of holding her up in such an awkward position.

She felt like she was breaking.

_Why?_

_Naruto.._

_why didn't you tell me?_

_Then again…why would you? _

_Why, when you choose Hinata to share the night of your life with._

_Naruto.._

_You really are…out of my reach._

With that thought, Sakura sank to her knees, unconsciously dropping the veil that shrouded her chakra. She didn't hear Kakashi call out. She didn't see them approach her. Her vision was becoming blurry.

_Am I crying, again?_

_So weak._

Finally, Sakura was shaken out her hazy thoughts by a hand gently prodding her shoulder. Her eyes trailed from the hand, to the arm, finally to the masked face, that eye taking in her disheveled appearance. He was obviously concerned. Sakura tried to recover, knowing the damage was already done. Summoning all of her strength, She looked him in the eye, not paying attention to the two men behind him, watching her with their own worried expressions.

"Oh…heh, Kakashi? I'm sorry, I was just-" Sakura paused, taking a moment to steady her voice, which was threatening to crack under the weight of her emotions. "I was only resting for a moment."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, his eye reflecting his skepticism as he watched the girl, still trembling in the otherwise empty hall.

"Sakura, are you-"

"I'm fine." Sakura lied, taking a deep breath.

"Lets find Tsunade, just to make sure. Can you walk alright?"

Sakura's expression darkened at the name, quickly thinking about her sensei's other student. Her successor. The future Hokage.

With renewed energy, Sakura ran from the corridor, calling her apologies to the three concerned men who were calling out to her. She had no idea what she would say to him, but she knew they needed to speak. Not only was she burning with anticipation over the upcoming confrontation, she was being fueled by an all-consuming rage.

_How could he not tell me?_

_Was he waiting for tonight, to tell everyone?_

_Is that I am to him? _Sakura thought bitterly_, am I just another friend?_

_Do I mean NOTHING to him!_

---------------------------------------------------

In her rage Sakura ran into the living room, noticing that not much had changed. Everyone was still having a great time, some were dancing to the soft music playing over the stereo, while others opted to relax. Raking her eyes over the small groups of people, she growled in frustration.

Suddenly, noticing a bright yellow spot in her peripheral vision, Sakura stiffened. In the small group of Chuunin relaxing in the middle of the room, was Naruto. She stood, watching them from afar as they laughed, joked and told stories. Walking closer to the group, she saw Hinata sitting next to the blonde, laughing at a joke Kiba had said. Everyone was laughing.

_Enough now_.

"Naruto!"

A few of the chuunin sitting on the floor nearest to where Sakura was standing looked back at her, their expressions questioning. The others in the group glanced at her, Ino waving her over to sit on the seat next to her. Sakura shook her head slightly, looking at Naruto, who had yet to notice her presence since Kiba now had him in a headlock.

"Naruto!"

"H-hey, Kiba, let go!" Naruto's muffled voice yelled out against Kiba's jacket, pulling himself from the slightly larger boy's headlock. He quickly looked over at the waiting pink haired girl, his expression brightening.

"Sakura-chan? Where've you been?"

"Oh, you know," Sakura started in a cheerful voice, not letting her true feelings show. At least, not yet. "Around! Um, can I speak to you about something? In private?"

He looked at her strangely before shrugging lightly, motioning for her to lead the way. She could feel Hinata's eyes on them, so she looked at the girl, smiling reassuringly. Hinata seemed happy with this, since she smiled back, returning her attentions to a story Kiba was telling.

They made their way up the stairs, Sakura leading the way. She had been here many times, and had even slept over once or twice after all night training sessions with Tsunade and Shizune. Walking up to the first room she saw, she lightly knocked twice to make sure the room was vacant. When nobody answered, she opened the door, switching on the light, she stepped inside. Naruto quickly followed, closing the door behind him.

Sakura slowly took in her surroundings, remembering that she had slept in this room before. It wasn't too large, and it wasn't too small. A queen sized bed was positioned directly across from the door, pushed against the opposing wall. Against the left wall was a small sturdy desk, a large black chair was placed in front of it. The only thing on the dark brown desk was a single lamp. Against the right wall, were two large doors that led to a spacious closet.

Walking further into the room, Sakura made sure to keep her back turned to Naruto. She took a deep calming breath. This had seemed much easier when she was full of rage and adrenaline. Now, after seeing his gentle expression watching her in curiosity, she seemed to deflate. That same feeling of apprehension was returning, making her feel somewhat queasy. Before she could faint, Sakura sat down on the large bed, watching as Naruto sat at the small desk in the corner.

Silence.

Sakura's feet were touching the floor beside the bed, her hands were picking at the tan bed spread. She didn't know what to say, and was hoping Naruto would break the silence that had come over them. For once, the boy just sat, watching Sakura curiously from his seat in the desk's chair.

More silence.

They had only been sitting in silence for a few moments, but to Sakura it felt like an eternity. She was about to speak, when Naruto's voice finally broke the tense silence.

"Hey…Sakura-chan? You wanted to talk about something'?"

Sakura nodded once, closing her eyes. "Yes."

Silence.

"Well, I have to be out there soon. This thing Tsunade-baba wanted me to announce…" He trailed off, staring down at his clasped hands.

_Announcement. That's right_.

_I have to tell him._

_It may not be as big as his news…_

_But I also have an announcement to make._

_A private one._

_Only to him._

Naruto waited a few moments before speaking again, when he did, Sakura opened her eyes to see him moving towards the door. Sakura cleared all thought out of her mind, standing up as well.

"I'm leaving, Naruto."

He froze. Slowly straightening himself, he turned to look at her. He seemed to be confused, before quickly brightening, flashing her a bright smile.

"Oh? Well, you gotta be back before the announcement! It's a big-"

"No," Sakura interrupted, her voice was low, almost a whisper. "I mean…I'm leaving Konoha."

Naruto stared, his mouth hanging slightly open, realization slowly settling over him. He blinked a few times, looking around the room, searching for some answer, some explanation. Sakura watched him in confusion as he took a sigh of relief, obviously coming to his own conclusion. A happier conclusion.

"What, for a mission? Are you leaving now?"

Sakura sighed in exasperation. He just wasn't getting it.

"It's not for a mission, it's-"

"Then can't it wait? Why leave tonight?"

"You aren't listening. I'm not leaving tonight, I'm leaving in a few days, but that's not the point!"

"Yeah, yeah, then it can wait! Geez, Sakura, what's the big deal?"

"Listen to me, Naruto! Are you listening?"

The blonde standing across from her rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and staring at Sakura expectantly. He was tapping a foot impatiently, the sound only serving to further aggravate her. Deciding to speak slowly, reining in her mounting anger, she finally began.

"I am leaving-"

"Uh-huh"

"-Konoha-"

"Mm-hm?"

"-in three days-"

"Yeah?"

"-To go to Suna-"

"GAH!" Naruto yelled out, making Sakura jump slightly. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but I need to be out there! The old bag threw this party for me, and I have this announcement, and-"

"Naruto…"

"-and Hinata is waiting for me!"

That was it.

"NARUTO! I'm leaving to Suna in three days and I'm NOT coming back!"

---------------------------------------------------

A/N: …. Evil cliffy from hell! I thought it was about time I tried my hand at a good cliffhanger, how was it? Please, refrain from throwing sharp objects! I will update soon, but I just couldn't keep going, what's gonna happen next should be it's own chapter. Besides, i've been awake since Saturday morning - so I need my rest. Anyone else hate sleeping?

Expect chapter 12 soon - The party ain't over by a long shot, people!


	12. The Party, Part II

A/N: I'm updating…AGAIN? Yep, because I got such an amazing response from the last chapter, I couldn't stop myself from updating quickly. I hope you guys enjoy this one! Thank you all so very, very much, for your reviews! You guys are like the ultimate inspiration, it's crazy. I love you guys…(sniff)…now I'm getting all emotional, see?

So…here it is! Chapter 12 of Losing Naruto.

Enjoy!

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"You're…what?"

Sakura sighed. She knew he wouldn't just accept it, and that he would demand an explanation. She also knew this couldn't be avoided. If she left without telling him face to face, she would never be able to forgive herself. The only thing she could do at this point, was put on a brave face.

"I requested a transfer from Tsunade. They need a medic nin, and I am fully capable of handling their current situation."

Naruto stared at her. It seemed as if he wasn't understanding a word she was saying. He looked lost, his eyes were darting from one place to the next.

_Be strong, Sakura_.

"Tsunade will soon find a replacement for the team, so don't worry."

Something seemed to click, but still, he said nothing.

"For now, I don't think she will be giving you any team missions-"

"Y-you can't…" Naruto finally cut in weakly, his voice sounded far away. His head was now lowered, hands balling into fists at his sides.

"-as it would be dangerous to fight without the assistance of a medic-nin."

"Why are you..."

"Although, if an unavoidable mission comes up, you will probably be assigned a small group of lower level medic nins."

"It's not…"

"Of course, I am still a Konoha shinobi until I leave. So for the next 3 days, you don't need to worry about any replacements."

Naruto seemed to finally come to his senses. His head shot up, allowing Sakura to see his expression. The raw emotion she witnessed there threatened to crush her resolve. His eyebrows were knitted together, mouth hanging open slightly in disbelief. But it was his eyes that got Sakura the most. They reflected her own inner turmoil. The pain she wouldn't dare let him see.

"Replacements?" He spat out. "MORE replacements? Sakura-chan…"

A few moments passed in silence, stretching on like hours. She wanted to scream, fall down and cry - she wanted to bare her soul, tell him what he meant to her. But she couldn't. Just for a moment longer, if she could keep her emotions in control..

_I could fool him._

_Fool him into thinking that I'm leaving for profession reasons._

_He never has to know._

The air in the room was thick, full of words both of them couldn't find or couldn't say. It felt as if the walls were closing in, as if the tension itself was suffocating them. Finally deciding that enough was enough, Sakura took a deep breath, not knowing if she could trust her voice. When she was sure of her control, she began to speak, her tone void of any emotion.

"I just thought you should know. My decision is made."

Naruto lowered his head once more, sagging his shoulders.

_Good. _

_Please, just give up on me._

"Well, I think we should get back to the party. People are probably waiting for you. Hinata.." Sakura swallowed thickly. "You shouldn't keep Hinata waiting."

Silence.

Shaking her head slightly, Sakura made her way to the door. As she walked past Naruto's hunched figure, a hand closed over her wrist, stopping her in mid-stride. A sharp intake of breath passed her lips, unchecked. Eyes wide, she slowly turned her body towards him, only to see his head still bowed.

_Why is he doing this? _

_What more could he possibly want?_

"Let me go, Naruto."

Silence.

"Release me, now!" Sakura growled out, not knowing how much more she could take. All of it was becoming too much, threatening to consume her.

Still, Naruto said nothing. His hand still held onto her wrist, not showing any signs of letting go. With a frustrated grunt, Sakura roughly pulled her wrist away from his grasp.

"Enough. I don't know what your problem is-"

Suddenly his voice cut in, strong and confident, making Sakura jump slightly in shock. His head was still lowered, back still turned, but Sakura heard him clearly.

"Don't leave."

"Wha-? Naruto, you said it yourself, the party-"

"Konoha!" He shouted, finally turning towards Sakura, making her take a small step backwards in shock. She took in his expression. The uncertainty was no longer there, and his eyes were still full of emotion, but …not sadness. No, his entire face was now shining with determination.

"Don't leave Konoha!"

Sakura's mouth opened slightly before she quickly closed it, reigning in her emotions. She could feel his words echoing in her soul, making it hard to breathe. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath, silently praying for strength.

"Don't you understand?" She let out through gritted teeth, "I've made my decision, this is what's best."

"Best for who? For you? What about everyone else?"

"Look, this is something I need to do. I have my reasons, and to be honest, this really is none of your business!"

Naruto winced, she could tell her words had cut him deep. Before she could apologize, his expression changed once again. This time, he was looking at her in disbelief. And just a hint of disgust.

"You sound like Sasuke."

"Excuse me?" Sakura asked, her voice low and dangerous.

_How dare he_?

Naruto was unaffected by the sudden change of her voice. "You heard me! When the bastard left to Orochimaru he went on and on about what HE needed to do, not caring about who he was leaving behind!"

"Naruto, this is different!" Sakura yelled, stepping closer to him, not planning on backing down. What he said struck her deeply. "I'm going to Suna to help, to be a medic-nin! I'm not…I'm not joining forces with the enemy!"

"That's not it!" Naruto countered, "You're leaving, Sakura. Who cares where you're going, the point is, you're turning your back on me. On everyone."

She rolled her eyes. "I think you'll manage." her voice was cold, each word laced in anger. "You have Sasuke back, Kakashi, Tsunade, Iruka, Jiraiya, and of course-" Sakura paused for effect. "You have Hinata."

"What are you - you think they can replace you? You're Sakura, nobody can replace you! Please, don't leave…" He trailed off, when he spoke again, his voice was lowered to a whisper.

"Don't leave me. You're one of my best friends."

With those heartfelt words, Sakura felt her anger draining, leaving a myriad of emotions in it's wake. Sadness, regret, loneliness, fear…all of it threatened to crush her resolve. It was becoming unbearable. Before she could say or do anything, a forgotten memory began to surface. Something she was supposed to speak to him about..

Then it clicked.

"While we're on the subject of _friendship,_" Sakura spat the word out as if it were a nasty swear word._ "_Why didn't you tell me?"

His brows furrowed in concentration, he thought for a moment before giving up. "Tell you what?"

A tiny smile, which held no real happiness at all, appeared on her lips as she closed her eyes, lowering her head. He had to strain to hear what she said next.

"That you were going to be the Rokudaime."

Naruto's body tensed, she rose her head to see that his face was pale, the shock clear in his expression. She watched as his mouth opened and closed, but not a single sound came out, save for some small sputtering noises.

"So? Why didn't you tell me?" Sakura's voice was regaining it's former strength, just as she was.

_How dare he act as if I'M doing something wrong!_

_How dare he preach to me about friendship, when he kept this secret from me!_

_Why isn't he saying anything? _

"SAY SOMETHING!" Sakura yelled, demanding answers. She couldn't stand it, he was just staring at her in shock, not even moving. Her yelling was what finally brought him out of his state of shock, he shook his head, choosing to look at his feet instead of her.

_Coward._

"I'm sorry."

Sakura scoffed. "Sorry?" she paused. "Sorry? Is that all you can say? Why didn't you tell me, Naruto?"

He quickly raised his head, looking her in the eyes. He swallowed thickly, those bright blue eyes begging her to understand.

"I was going to, alright? I was going to tell you guys first! But then I decided to throw a party to tell everyone together. I guess I just wanted all of you to know at the same time." Naruto paused, the air became thick.

"It's always been my dream to become the next Hokage. Really, Sakura-chan, I thought you would be happy for me!"

Sakura had heard enough. She was tired of hiding everything, tired of pretending. She needed answers. And he needed to know the truth, before all of it drove her insane.

_I'm not strong enough._

_I'm weak…_

_And I can't go on much longer._

"What about me?" Sakura asked. "Can't you understand? You're leaving me behind!"

"What are you talking about? You're the one leaving to Suna., I'm standing right here!" He responded impatiently, sounding more than a little confused.

"Not for long." Sakura whispered miserably, her expression had softened, and her once confident voice was now weak. She took in a small shaky breath before continuing.

"I'm so scared Naruto."

The blonde standing before her said nothing, his questioning expression said enough. Sakura was glad, she needed to come clean, and him interrupting wouldn't help.

"You're going to be Hokage. I'm so proud of you, but at the same time, I wish it weren't happening." Sakura clenched her fists. Her voice was shaking, and she couldn't stop it. Not anymore. "Nothing is ever going to be the same between us. You're the future Rokudaime," Sakura chuckled softly.

"And as for me…I'm just Haruno Sakura. And I feel.."

_I feel like_…

"I feel like I'm losing you, Naruto! And it scares me. I feel like you're going on this path, this path that I can't take with you. Not only because I'm not strong enough, but because I'm not…"

_I'm not her._

Before she could say or think anything else, she was pulled into a strong embrace by Naruto. He was holding onto her so tight, as if he thought she would disappear if he let go. Sakura stiffened in shock, all she could do was stand there, her arms at her sides. Slowly, she willed her arms to encircle his waist, clutching the soft fabric of his jacket.

They stood there, neither saying a word before finally, he began to speak above her. Sakura hearing, as well as feeling his soft voice through the embrace they shared.

"You don't gotta be anyone else, Sakura-chan. Being you is enough for me." Sakura let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in. "I'm still Naruto, you know. That title, it doesn't really mean I'm a different person or anything."

She wanted to speak, wanted to say something, anything. But she couldn't. All she could do was smile softly, and let Naruto hold her for just a little bit longer.

"So whaddaya say, Sakura-chaaan?" Naruto cheerfully asked, lightening the mood considerably, making the pink haired chuunin in his arms smile into his jacket. "Will you stay? For the village, and…for me?"

Sakura's eyes opened, she had no idea what she would say to him.

_Simply say no_.

_But…can I say no to him_? Sakura questioned herself, knowing it would hurt him, and herself as well.

_Remember? Hinata_.

Sakura took a deep breath, and with a all the inner strength she could manage, she released her hold on him, lightly pushing him away. His arms loosened, but still held onto her, not allowing her to walk away. Not allowing her to turn from him as she answered him. Not allowing her to be a coward.

Forcing herself to look up, she met his gaze. And was speechless. His eyes were so sweet, so gentle. So full of understanding, begging for an answer, but not pushing her to respond. Sakura knew she could drown in those eyes, and was sure she wouldn't object. She loved those eyes, and everything else that was Naruto.

Her breathing became shallow, and she was sure if she watched him a moment longer she would faint. The intensity of his gaze had her frozen on the spot. All she could do was watch as his eyes bore into hers, searching for the words she couldn't say.

It was as if the world was standing still, and the only thing left moving was their beating hearts. Nothing else around them mattered. Emotions and feelings were conveyed, souls were bared, and for just a moment, Sakura forget about her responsibilities. For once, she allowed herself to stop thinking, letting her feelings control her actions.

Before either of them knew what was happening, they found themselves moving closer together. Sakura could feel his steady breaths, could see his eyelids slowly closing over those blue pools of emotion. She closed her own eyes, not hearing anything, not feeling anything but his heartbeat. In Naruto's close proximity, all of her senses were consumed by him.

_Closer…_

_Just…a bit closer…_

They were lost in each other, blocking off anything and everything. So they didn't sense the approaching chakra. Nor did they hear the footsteps, or the door opening.

"N-n-naruto-kun…?"

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A/N: …… …… ….. (runs and hides)

Chapter 13, coming soon!


	13. The Party Part III

A/N: Ok, I'm really sorry this took so long! I planned to have this chapter out a couple days after the last, but it wasn't happening. This has been the hardest chapter so far, and even after all my work, it still isn't that good. I'm really sorry, but don't worry, because I have the rest of the story written down in my notebook - even the epilogue!

We're getting to the end of the story, and it's been an amazing experience! All of my reviewers, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I never expected to have soo many reviews! I'm so sorry I couldn't write a better chapter, with my writers block, this is the best I could come up with.

Try to enjoy!

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"N-n-Naruto-kun…?"

Sakura and Naruto's lips had barely touched when the hurt, trembling voice of Hyuuga Hinata broke the trance both of the chuunin were under. The effect was instantaneous. In a second, both of them had disentangled their arms, pulling away from each other as if scalded. They looked at each other for one moment, both sharing the same expression.

Guilt.

Two heads whipped in the direction of the door to find a shaking, broken looking Hinata staring at them both. She was still holding onto the doorknob with one hand, knuckles turning white with the intensity of her grasp. Her other hand was gripping the fabric of her dress, making one side look longer than the other.

For a few moments, that seemed like hours, the three simply stood there. Naruto and Sakura were both watching Hinata, while Hinata's gaze switched from the pink haired chuunin to the blonde beside her. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. The air was heavy, the only sound in the room was the faint music drifting in from downstairs.

_Say something, Sakura._

_Apologize!_

_Speak!_

_Do something!_

Before Sakura or Naruto could say anything, Hinata spoke.

I-I…" Hinata's voice cracked as she broke into a small sob. "I'm s-sorry…I did-didn't know…y-you were…" Taking a few shaky steps backward, she let out one small "..s-sorry" before closing the door, her chakra quickly fading away, along with her footsteps.

Both Naruto and Sakura continued to stare at the now closed door, transfixed. Suddenly, as if something snapped, both of them looked at each other, back to the door, and then ran from the room without a second thought.

"Hinata!"

"Hinata-chan!

"Wait-!"

Both of them were yelling after Hinata, hoping she hadn't already left. When they reached the top of the stairs, they noticed her at the bottom step, being questioned by a concerned-looking Kiba. Naruto made it halfway down before he was suddenly face to face with the boy.

"What happened?" Kiba asked, looking and sounding more concerned than angry.

_That might change once he finds out_, Sakura thought, hoping that Naruto would be able to handle the situation.

"Outta my way, this is between me, Sakura and Hinata!"

"To hell it is, if Hinata is hurt, and you're to blame, you have to deal with me!"

Naruto looked taken aback, before quickly recovering.

"Look Kiba, I don't want to fight you, ok? Just move it so I can talk to-"

"You're not talking to her tonight!"

"Get out of the way!"

"Make me!"

"BRATS!"

The entire room was silent, even the music had been turned off. Everyone's attention was now on the stairs, watching the situation in curiosity. Sakura was standing at the top of the stairs, hand tightly clutching the rail. Hinata was sitting on the last stair with her head down, slumped over slightly. In the middle of the stairs stood Naruto and Kiba, glaring at each other, each daring the other to back down.

As for Tsunade, she was now standing in the middle of the room, holding the remote to the stereo. Both hands were on her hips, her face was pulled into an angry grimace as she watched the teens on the stairs, all of whom were now staring at her in fear. Even Hinata had picked up her head to watch the Hokage, her small sniffles were the only sound in the entire room.

"Would somebody mind telling me what the hell is going on here?"

Silence.

"NOW!"

Immediately, the room was filled with yelling, cursing, growling, and the occasional bark. Mostly coming from the two boys (and dog) in the middle of the stairs.

"Dog-boy won't let me through-"

"He made Hinata cry!"

"Ruff!"

"That's what I'm trying to fix, moron! But you won't get outta my way!"

…….._three_.

"It's not Naruto's fault, Tsunade-sama, we were…well, we just need to speak to her, it's importa-"

"I just wanna know what's going on, Hinata runs down crying, and-"

"Ruff!"

……..._two_.

"Kiba, please don't involve yourself! Hinata is old enough to speak for herself."

"Well, she's crying at the moment, thanks to this bastard!"

"Ruff! Ruff!"

"I'm not a bastard, bastard!"

………._one_.

_**SNAP**_

"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" Tsunade roared, effectively scaring everyone in the room into utter silence.

The once emotionally charged atmosphere was now painfully quiet, nobody dared to even move. Kiba and Naruto froze immediately, hands still pointing in each others chests from the heated argument. Sakura was now a few steps above Naruto, while Hinata was…well, she was still in the same position as before. The only change was that she had her arms wrapped around her own waist, looking as if she were going to be sick.

"Kiba, get your dog, and get out of my sight! Naruto, stop being a child and get down here immediately! Same goes for you Sakura, and Hinata as well. I have prepared this party, and I'll be DAMNED if you brats are going to ruin it with your adolescent drama! Now GET OVER HERE!"

In an instant, Kiba was gone, Naruto was scrambling down the stairs alongside Sakura, who offered Hinata help standing up. The shorter girl looked at her hand, accepting after a moment, with a small polite smile. A smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you…Sakura."

She inwardly winced at the amount of pain that was obvious in Hinata's tone, it showed in her eyes, as well, Threatening to make Sakura sick from the guilt.

"It's-it's nothing, Hinata."

Politely nodding her head once, Hinata began walking to where Tsunade and Naruto now stood, waiting for the two girls. As Sakura made her way to the middle of the room, her thoughts weren't on the stern look the Hokage was giving her, but on the encounter with Hinata.

_How could she…be so nice to me?_

_If I were in her situation, what would I have done?_

_Yelled._

_Cursed._

_But she just…smiled politely._

_And thanked me. After all I've done…she thanked me._

_I wish she would have yelled in my face._

_I wish she would have cursed my name._

_I deserve it. _

"Alright, listen up!"

Sakura was disturbed from her guild-ridden thoughts by Tsunade, who was now giving each of them a stern look, not giving room for objections, or interruptions of any type. Her voice was severe, and laced with impatience. It frightened Sakura, and she hoped for his sake, it had the same effect for Naruto.

"That goes for all of you! Listen well, because I won't repeat myself!" Tsunade shouted out, immediately all eyes fell on her. Previously, the people had been watching the three chuunin, or the Hokage, murmuring to each other, or just not paying much attention either way. Such was the case for Kakashi, who had been reading his book from the moment he stepped in the room, not long after Tsunade entered.

"I want everyone, with the exception of Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura to leave the room immediately! There is food waiting in the dining room, so make yourselves scarce!"

All those present looked at one another momentarily, before quickly moving towards the double doors that would lead them into the spacious dining room. The moment only the four of them remained, Tsunade took a deep breath, lowering her head in exhaustion.

"Alright," the older woman tiredly began, turning her attention to the three teens before her. "I have no idea what's going on between you three and-"

"That's what I was-" Naruto cut in, before being interrupted by the booming voice of the Hokage.

"SILENCE!"

All three of the chuunin gave fearful glances to each other, Sakura making sure to throw a pointed glare in Naruto's direction. _Shut up, you moron_! His only response to her was a small pout, his arms crossing with a "hmph!"

"Now, as I was saying!" Tsunade continued, glaring at Naruto before continuing. "I don't know what happened between the three of you, but as it seems to be less than life threatening, I will ask you to put it aside for the time being!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"….I'm sorry, Hokage-sama."

A moment.

"Yeah, yeah, Tsunade-baba, you got it."

"Good!" Tsunade sighed in relief, "Now get back to the party, have some fun, and Naruto?" She looked over to where the blonde stood, arms still crossed, frown still in place. Only now, he was looking at her expectedly, mild annoyance clear on his features. A pale eyebrow twitched, but she decided to save the beating for later. There were still things that had to be done...

"Are you ready to make the announcement?"

Naruto blinked, then relaxed his posture a little. He now had both hands in his pockets, and, Sakura noticed, looked rather smug. It annoyed her, that he could be so at ease with himself after everything had happened. Almost as if it really didn't mean anything to him...as if she hadn't just bared her soul to him only ten minutes ago...as if they hadn't almost kissed. _What's his problem_? Looking at the quiet Hyuuga, Sakura noticed her watching Naruto in confusion, a hint of pain was evident in her features, serving to anger Sakura even more.

_Who does he think he is_!

"Tsunade-baba, I'm ready when you are!" He replied cheerfully, further annoying Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly at being addressed by him, as it was the first time he's spoken to her since...and now, here he was, acting as if nothing had happened, talking to her as if - as if-

_Enough_!

Sakura looked him in eyes, ready to lash out, hit him, scream, anything to make him aware of the REAL situation at hand. Anything to wake him up, to make him feel what she felt. But before she could do anything, she met his gaze, and noticed it. All of the confusion, the pain, the regret, the guilt...all of it...

Was in his eyes.

His relaxed posture didn't reach his eyes. That smug expression also didn't reach his eyes. He was doing what he had to do, being who he had to be. She knew how much it must be killing him to act as if he weren't hurting, she had to do it herself when saying goodbye to him. When acting as if she didn't care.

_But I couldn't do it. _

_He really is..._

_So much stronger than me_.

"HEY! Sakura-chaaaaaan?"

Sakura jumped slightly, wide eyes blinking quickly for a second before fully coming to her senses. _I really need to stop doing that_...

"Yes, Naruto?" She asked, sounding annoyed, trying her best to act as if nothing had changed. She was happy to see him nod slightly, to her it meant that he understood what she was doing. And It made sense, since he was doing the exact same thing.

Pretending it didn't hurt.

"Could you go tell everyone to come to the living room, and that I have an announcement to make?"

Sakura nodded, turning around and making her way to the dining room. It was all becoming too much for her to comprehend, the situation had gotten so out of hand, she wondered if it wasn't behind repair. _It seemed to simple before_, Sakura reflected, shaking her head she opened the doors to the dining room, _how did I let it get so bad_?

_And now...he's going to announce it._

_And take another step._

_Away from me_.

All attention was focused on the pink-haired chuunin standing in the doorway. She waited a few seconds before speaking, wanting to prolong the inevitable, for a just a little bit longer. Wanting to live in this moment, before everything changed. Before Naruto goes from hopeful chuunin, to future Rokudaime. And while she knew what she had to do, it didn't make things easier. She fooled herself into thinking it was the easy way out once, that leaving would solve everything. That she could live with the pain, and everything would end happily for everyone else involved.

But after tonight, it all became clear. It would hurt not only her, but Naruto as well. He would miss her, and not be able to do what he needed. If her shadow haunted him, how would be protect Konoha? How could all of his dreams come true, if his nightmares of the past plagued him? If only..

_If only I could go back..._

_And relive those seconds that he held me..._

_As if I was his most important person._

_Maybe I am_.

"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting." Sakura addressed the slightly crowded room, noticing the relieved expressions of those present. "Please, if you would come to the main room, Naruto has a special announcement to make."

Everyone looked at each other, a confused buzzing made it's way around the room as the people stood, making their way towards the double doors. Sakura moved to the side, allowing them to pass, still wrapped in her thoughts.

_So, Naruto._

_If it hurts you that much to let me go..._

_If you're that reluctant to release these bonds that have grown between us..._

She barely registered someone accidentally bumping into her on their way out, and barely heard their quick apology. As the seconds went by, more people left, until the empty dining room was quiet, leaving only Sakura and her thoughts.

_For your sake..._

_I'll break them myself._

With that final thought, Sakura turned, pushed the door open, and made her way to the main room.

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Everyone was seated, awaiting the announcement that would soon come. Sakura sat between Ino and Kiba, watching the blonde silently converse with Tsunade in front of the small crowd of people. Scanning the room, Sakura's eyes fell on the small form of Hinata, who was playing with the lace on her dress, seemingly lost in thought. She was sitting next to a worried looking Iruka, who was obviously working towards getting the small girl to open up.

Even though the Hyuuga now looked to be lost in thought, and simply confused, Sakura knew better. She had no idea what could be going through the other girls head, but knew it was painful. Someone she considered her best friend had committed the ultimate betrayal.

And still…

Still, she sat there, smiling slightly at Iruka, shaking her head at his worried questions. Laughing softly when he jokes, nodding at the appropriate moments. Carrying on a conversation, as if her heart hasn't been broken. As if someone she considered her best friend hadn't betrayed her.

Hinata stiffened slightly, slowly turning towards Sakura. Before she could register anything, Sakura was caught by the Hyuuga's questioning gaze. The pink haired chuunin looked away, deciding to strike up a random conversation with Ino about something trivial. If only to take her attention away from that Hyuuga stare - the one that made you feel as if you're on display. Even without the use of the Byakugan.

_What's taking so long? _

_Hurry up and announce it!_

Tapping her foot in frustration, and not paying even a little attention to what Ino was talking about, Sakura felt her patience waning. She just wanted to get this night over with, wanted to apologize to Hinata, tell her it was a mistake. And of course, she needed to finish things with Naruto. Once and for all. She couldn't let things continue as they were. It was too painful for all involved.

"HEY! Listen up, everyone!"

Sakura's head whipped up in the direction of the voice, watching Naruto expectantly. He looked a bit nervous, which didn't come as a shock to Sakura, since all eyes in the room were glued on him. Everyone had gone silent, and were waiting in their seats. Sakura could feel the impatience circulating around the room, and knew it was also contributing to the blondes nervous state. His eyes were wide, and he was standing still.

Silence.

More silence.

Deafening silence.

WHACK

"OW! Tsunade-babaaa! What-oh,..right…heh.."

Finally, after a little 'encouragement' from Tsunade, he began to speak.

"I have an announcement to make. Starting, well, I don't know when, but starting - eh, when it starts, that is - Ehhh…"

"Cut to the chase, brat!" Tsunade yelled, making Naruto wince slightly.

"Yeah, I know!" clearing his throat slightly, the blonde began to speak again. "The thing is - the reason you're here - is that you're all kinda special to me…even you, dog-breath!"

"Pfft!" Was Kiba's response, accompanied by a bark from the loyal Akamaru.

"Heh, so anyways, I wanted all of you to know this first, before it's officially announced tomorrow morning for the entire town. So you could hear it from me, and not some hateful gossipers…" Naruto trailed off, looking at his shoes, a small frown was now on his face.

At that, Tsunade also frowned, watching Naruto with sympathy etched in her features. It hurt Sakura as well, since she also knew how cruel some people could be. Most had come around by now, with all that Naruto had done for the village, but some of the older, more close minded villagers still couldn't be swayed.

Sakura noticed a few others making uncomfortable gestures; Iruka looked down into his lap, bitter sadness evident in his youthful features. Jiraiya's face contorted into an expression of anger, his eyebrows furrowing deeply.

The atmosphere was now gloomy, reflecting everyone's personal feelings and thoughts. A thick tension spread across the room, making each person uncomfortable. Suddenly, as if coming out of his thoughts, Naruto lifted his head. The fake smile was ever present, making Sakura wish that she were blind. When he spoke, she just wanted to be somewhere else. He sounded to cheerful. So at ease.

So fake.

"Ehhh…sorry about that! Got kinda distracted, heh, Now, I'd appreciate the news staying in this room, at least until everyone is told tomorrow morning. So…I guess there isn't much more to say. Except…" Naruto looked around, and taking a deep breath, finished what he was going to say.

"I've been chosen as the future Rokudaime."

Silence.

Sakura saw Tsunade suddenly disappear, but before she could even blink, everyone was speaking at once. It was chaos.

"You're joking right?"

"Ruff!"

"HEY! What's that supposed to mean…and what are you laughing at! What's your dog saying now, huh?"

"You know, Shika saw this coming, but I told him he was losing it."

"Naruto-kun…"

"I'm glad he didn't make a bet or anything!"

"Ruff!"

"DAMN DOG!"

"Naruto! Settle down!"

"Ino, Shika's not the betting type. I know him well, he doesn't make bets."

"Iruka-sensei, he started it!"

"Oh that's right, too troublesome?"

"I'm…Naruto-kun…you…"

"HEY! Leave Akamaru alone!"

"BEHOLD THE YOUTH STANDING BEFORE US IN ALL IT'S GLORY!"

"Settle down, Gai!"

"Give it up, Iruka.."

"Naruto, give back Akamaru!"

"But Sakura-chaaaaan-!"

"why are there no beautiful young women at this party? What kind of teenager are you? Did I teach you nothing!"

"YOUTH!"

"Jiraiya, Gai, Kakashi, help me out, please!"

"I don't care, I'll kick that Rokudaime ass all over the place! Give me my dog!"

"Fine, take him, his fleas are starting to bite me!"

"Ruff…"

"HEY! Take that back!"

"Make me!"

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!" Tsunade finally roared.

Silence.

"I leave for one minute to check on something, come back, and all hell has broken loose! I can't deal with any of this much longer!" She sounded exhausted and frustrated. "The party is over. All of you. Leave. Now." Tsunade growled the last part out through gritted teeth.

Sakura gulped, not needing to be told twice, she started making her way out the door, then stopped. A few people behind her bumped into her softly, not expecting the abrupt halt. Sakura turned slowly, and with a small voice, she said the simple words she knew Naruto was waiting to hear.

"Congratulations, Naruto."

Their eyes locked over the small crowd of people, and she smiled softly. He nodded, and waved slowly. One by one, the others congratulated Naruto. Kiba smacked him over the head, Ino gave him a small hug, Shino shook his hand, Iruka pulled him into a massive hug, laughing loudly at something the blonde said.

Then Hinata slowly approached him, hands behind her back. It was then Sakura decided to take her leave, not wanting to witness their exchange. Hinata deserved a moment alone with him, Sakura refused to let her presence make their encounter awkward.

_I've already ruined things enough_.

Walking down the cold, deserted streets of Konoha, Sakura reflected on the night's events. It almost didn't seem real, everything happening in such a short period of time. Everything she worked at, each step of progress she had made with Hinata was ruined in that moment.

Sighing miserably, Sakura crossed her arms, wishing she had taken a jacket to the party. The night air was freezing, the only sound she could hear was the clicking of her heels hitting the pavement. Part of her wished she could forget, forget the look on his face when she told him she was going to Suna. Forget her moment of weakness, when she said things that should never have been said. His words, his touch, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Most of all, she wanted to forget Hinata's face, contorted with pain and disbelief.

As Sakura continued to walk home, she looked to her left, and noticed Ichikaru's. It was dark, obviously closed for the night. She stood, simply staring at the empty restaurant. In her minds eye, she could almost see the happy blonde eating ramen, laughing with Iruka, without a care in the world. She smiled sadly, and with one final look, turned and made her way home.

When she was approaching her home, Sakura came to a realization, one she couldn't deny, no matter how guilty she felt.

_I'll never forget it._

_All of it._

_Because…deep inside, I don't want to._

_I want to remember his words._

_I need to remember his embrace._

_I won't forget tonight, Naruto.._

_I won't forget you_.

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A/N: I know, I know, no big dramatic, teary confrontation…but it just didn't seem to fit. At least, not yet. I think starting in chapter 14, we will see lots more drama. I just NEEDED to get this whole announcement thing out of the way. Besides, thanks to Kiba and Tsunade, they didn't really have a chance to talk, right?

A few more things. No, I don't know how to spell the ramen shop, but I tried! Sakura is still going to Suna, and sorry for any OOCness that happened in this chapter! Seriously, you have no idea how hard this was to write.

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! It really means a lot to me!

Chapter 14, coming soon!


	14. Asking the Hokage for help

A/N: Oh my... (bows to reviewers) You kick ass!

Enjoy!

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It was a terrible morning in Konoha, and the Godaime couldn't relax for a moment. She had just gotten back from making the official announcement about the Rokudaime, and was thoroughly exhausted. Most people took it well, with the exception of a few disgruntled villagers, which didn't worry Tsunade. She had a sneaky feeling that the blonde haired runt could grow on anyone, given enough time.

The reason she was tired, was because she hadn't gotten hardly any sleep the night before. All in all, the party wasn't that big of a disaster. Tsunade knew it could have been worse, considering the dangerous amount of hormones that were in one house for an extended period of time. What bothered her though, was that it wasn't just any house.

_It was my house!_

_Damn disrespectful brats, all of them!_

Tsunade noticed she was becoming rather disgruntled this morning, but couldn't help it. After kicking all the kids out, she had been forced to handle clean-up herself. Which was a nightmare. Of course, she did have Gai and Iruka helping her out, which she appreciated. That is, until Gai started admiring the youthfulness of a trashed house, and Iruka started scolding him like a teacher.

Of course, they were also kicked out.

She sighed, letting her head fall on the desk with a small 'thud'. Her hands were laying across the desk, on either side of her head. She vaguely wondered if it was even morning anymore, since her office was a bit bright for morning sun-rays. She exhaled slowly as her face was warmed considerably by the sunlit desk she was resting it upon.

_This morning just wasn't getting any better. _

_And to make matters worse…_

The Hokage lifted her head slightly to glare at the mountains of paperwork on top of her desk, wishing it would all just disappear. It sometimes wasn't fair.

_I must have the worst luck in the world_.

As if on cue, a loud ringing voice echoed through the hallway outside Tsunade's office.

"TSUNADE-BABA!"

"Geez…what perfect timing." Tsunade mumbled amidst the mountains of paperwork on her desk. She didn't have the strength, the will, or the patience to deal with _that_ right now. Yet, as much as she didn't want to let the annoying little brat in, she knew she didn't have much of a choice. Naruto wouldn't just leave, and it's better to get it over with.

"LET ME IN, GRANNY!" Tsunade heard a small scuffling noise beyond the door, and then a muffled yell, finally Naruto's voice rang through the halls once again.

"Hey! get your hands off me, HEY! You know who you're dealin' with! I'm the future Hokage, so unless you wanna get your ass kicked off ANBU and get D rank missions for the rest of your life, I suggest you-"

"NARUTO! Get in here, now!"

Another scuffling noise, then she heard something bang against the door. After a moment, Naruto walked in, looking smug as ever. The two ANBU who were guarding the door were glaring at his back. Tsunade stood from her chair, walked to the door, pulled Naruto in and slammed it loudly.

"Heh, we showed them, huh?"

Tsunade sighed, closing her eyes in exasperation. "Listen, runt! You can't go abusing your powers before you even have them. Being the Hokage is a lot of responsibility, you have to know weather or not the decisions you make are for-"

"That reminds me!" Naruto cut in, losing his smug expression in favor of a determined one.

A pale eyebrow twitched.

"HEY!" She smacked him over the head. "Don't interrupt!"

Naruto pouted, rubbing the red bump on his head where Tsunade hit him. He mumbled under his breath for a second, before crossing his arms and glaring at the Hokage.

"I gotta ask you for a favor!"

Tsunade blinked a few times, staring at the blonde in shock.

"A favor?" She asked in disbelief, watching him closely.

"Yeah! Umm…look, the thing is…I wanted you to…"

"Just get to the point." She sighed, crossing her arms and staring at him with a bored expression.

"Ok," a short pause. "I want you to cancel the order for Sakura to go to Suna, and I want you to do it now!"

She watched him.

Silence.

A full minute went by.

"Excuse me?"

"Argh! I SAID I want you to-"

"I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!"

Naruto winced at the sheer magnitude of her booming voice, watching the windows in her office rattle dangerously.

"What I want to know is, who the hell you think you are, telling ME what to do! It sounded like an order, not a favor! Now explain yourself! And make it quick!" Tsunade took a deep calming breath, watching the boy in front of her shake just a bit in fear.

_Well...good to know I still have a little control over him_.

"Ehh…alright, just listen. Please?" Tsunade was shocked to hear the somber tone in his voice. He was very seldom serious, and he sounded like he had a lot on his mind.

_Well, guess it couldn't hurt. Damn_…

_I have a feeling I'm gonna need sake_ _after this_.

"Alright kid, you've got my attention." She inwardly smiled when his face brightened. "Come on." She motioned for him to sit in the chair in front of her large desk, which he frowned at.

"Hey granny…I'm the next Hokage so I might as well practice sitting in MY chair, eh?"

He took one look at her glare, and quickly sat down in the smaller chair she had offered him.

"Yeah, yeah…" Naruto trailed off, mumbling under his breath.

"What was that!" She growled, curling her hand into a tight fist, and raising it over his head slowly.

"Eh! Oh, um, nothing. Nothing at all, heh" He answered quickly, making an innocent face that just didn't look right on the blonde.

Tsunade grunted, and sat down in the chair opposite him. She watched him for a moment, waiting for him to speak. And for another moment. And another. Finally, she cleared her throat, and watched him snap out of his thoughts.

"Oh right, listen, Tsunade-baba! You can't let Sakura go to Suna, she - well, she belongs here, with us! She's a Konoha shinobi!"

"I know how you feel," She sighed, putting her elbow on the table, and resting her chin in her palm.

"You…do?" He asked in disbelief, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Of course! I don't want to lose Sakura either, she's one of the best medic-nin we have here. But Suna is in need of someone with Sakura's experience, and we need to honor the peace treaty we made."

"Forget that!" Naruto yelled, standing up from his chair. Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "It doesn't matter! Sakura is my friend, and I'll be damned if I lose her over some political crap! Don't you even care about her? She was your student!"

"ENOUGH!" She yelled, making the blonde before her stiffen slightly.

"Sit. Down. Now." The Hokage ground out, both hands now laying flat on the desk. She waited a few moments for him to calm down, watched him reluctantly take his seat, then continued.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked calmly, betraying the rising frustration she was feeling at the moment.

"What is it?"

"Do you know what it means to be Hokage?"

"What?" He asked incredulously.

"Answer the question!"

He winced, and gulped slowly before answering.

"It means…" He exhaled slowly, then continued. "It means that you protect the village at all costs. You give your life in order to make sure those in the village are safe. You sacrifice anything and everything for the good of the people."

"Yes, good. Now listen _very_ closely." Her voice was dangerously low. Tsunade hoped to make him understand.

"When you are Hokage, you will have to do things you may not want to do, but you have to - for the sake of your village. Now, the Sand, as you know, is a extremely powerful ally. By sending Sakura, we are strengthening those bonds. Understand?"

Naruto frowned, slumping in his chair.

"Furthermore, this puts them in our debt. If we need a favor in the future, it wouldn't be easy for them to say no. As the future Hokage, you need to understand these things!" She winced when she saw him tense at the severity of her tone. But it couldn't helped.

_He needs to learn these things_.

She was about to continue, when she saw his head slowly rise. She watched him for a moment. When she saw the look on his face, she was shocked to see sadness, confusion, and a little bit of anger mixed on his features.

_Was I that hard on the kid? Geez_…

"Could you…please stop?" He asked weakly, further shocking Tsunade. "This…I don't need a lesson right now, granny. I know this is gonna make you mad, and you can yell at me and hit me, I don't really care,"

Tsunade continued to watch him, his eyes were on the desk, not making eye contact. She noticed his hands shaking, desperately clutching the arms of the chair. Her brows furrowed when she saw his fingers turning white under the pressure. The rest of his body was completely still.

"But right now," He began, his voice rising with an unmistakable hint of determination. "I could care less about being the damn Hokage!"

His voice almost broke. Tsunade held in a gasp, watching him closely.

"Alliances, villages, people…none of it really matters right now! If-if she leaves, I don't know what I'll do." Naruto laughed mirthlessly, closing his eyes for a moment. "Can you believe it, Tsunade-baba? After all my life, dreaming of being the Hokage, and now - it just doesn't seem that important. All that matters to me right now is getting her to stay. Crazy, huh?"

He finally looked her in the eyes, smiling sadly, and she continued to watch him from the other side of the desk. She could see the raw emotion in his eyes, those blue, almost watery orbs watched her closely. As if searching for an answer she couldn't give. They shared a few moments of silence, sitting in the large, sunlit room. Particles of dust were visible in the rays of light that shone through the parted curtains.

Nobody moved.

Nothing was said.

After a few minutes passed, Tsunade decided to break the silence. At that point it was almost suffocating.

"Brat…Sakura is old enough to make her own decisions," She raised a hand when he began to interrupt, and watched him close his mouth reluctantly. "And as much as we don't agree with it, it's not our place to tell her what to do. I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do."

A moment.

"I - I understand."

_He…what_?

She watched him, and could swear she saw his spirit break in that moment. As much as he got on her nerves, she had come to care for him deeply. That energy, the positive attitude, his perpetual smile. She came to expect that loud, excited behavior from him. The broken boy before her was something she wasn't sure she wanted to witness.

_Since when did he give up_?

_I really shouldn't do this…_

_Dammit_.

_The kid really has softened me._

Decision made, she sighed deeply, watching him for another moment before standing up from her chair, and walking over to him. She rested a hand on his shoulder, and watched him stiffen slightly, before relaxing. She brought his chin up in her hand, forcing him to make eye contact.

"For whatever reason, I've decided to give you a chance." His expression brightened, a small smile crept onto his face. "I'm not taking the order back, so don't get ahead of yourself!"

He pouted.

"Then…how are you planning on helping me?" He asked timidly, finally standing up to watch her curiously.

"Sakura doesn't leave until the day after tomorrow. The transfer will not be final until then. At that point, she will officially be a Sand-nin, and you even I won't have the power to bring her back. Of course, she hasn't left yet. But even if she were to change her mind, it would ultimately be up to me. At this point, she has no say in the matter. Now, if she-"

"Cut to the chase, Tsunade-baba!"

"BRAT!" She yelled, hitting him over the head. "Show some respect! And don't interrupt!"

"Gah, you have serious problems, old woman.."

Tsunade growled. "Do you want my help or not?"

He quickly straightened, watching her expectantly. The Hokage rolled her eyes, shaking her head tiredly.

_So exhausting_..

"Now, if she _somehow-_" She put emphasis on the word 'somehow' hoping the boy wasn't as dense as some people thought. "-were to decide not to go to Suna, I might consider pulling back the order, before it is in the Kazekage's hands. "

Naruto watched her with a blank expression on his face.

A few moments passed.

_He can't possibly be this dense…_

_Can he?_

"So…" Naruto began slowly, brows furrowed in deep concentration. "We're just gonna wait, and see if somehow she changes her mind. THAT'S your plan!"

She stared at him in shock.

_He is that dense._

"It doesn't make any sense, Tsunade-baba! Now you're really getting old! How are we - HEY!"

The furious Hokage was holding him by his green Chuunin vest, lifting him easily off the ground. He whimpered slightly, kicking his feet, and flailing his arms.

"Let…me…go.." He growled out, struggling to free himself from her grasp. "…you…old…BAG!"

And that was it.

"Hey…HEY! TSUNADE-BABAAA!"

She pulled him close, taking in his fearful expression. He was dangling helplessly in the air, but stopped suddenly when he heard her voice, low and deadly.

"Figure. It. Out. BRAT!"

She watched him for a second longer, before throwing the window open. His expression changed from one of curiosity to one of fear, watching her in disbelief as she lifted him a bit higher. With a final step towards the window, she sent him flying into the Konoha streets.

Closing the window, she sighed deeply, grabbing her sake out from underneath her desk.

_I knew I was going to need this_…

Taking a small sip, she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Good luck, Naruto." She whispered into the mostly empty room. After a moment, she finally decided to tackle the mountain of paperwork on her desk. For some reason, she felt a little bit better now.

_Maybe things will be ok after all._

_And…_

_Looks like the future Rokudaime might be in love._

Tsunade smiled softly, shaking her head. Her easy smile quickly dissolved into a small frown as she turned slightly to look out the window, staring at nothing in particular.

_Here's hoping Sakura makes the right decision._

_Besides_, she reflected with a small laugh, _Suna really is hot this time of year_.

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A/N: Yes, so that is chapter 14. A teeny bit shorter than the latest chapters, but as you can probably tell, it's setting the stage for chapter 15. Which will come soon, no matter what, since I already have it all planned out. It's that stupid chapter 13 that just refused to come out!

A big, massive, monstrously HUGE thanks to my reviewers! You're all so great - 192 reviews! I swear, my head is gonna explode if I get to 200, I'm not even joking!

Chapter 15 already in the making! For now…must sleep. I stayed up all night playing Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition. BUY IT!


	15. Confrontations

A/N: (HEAD EXPLODES) See? Unbelievable. I can't believe I have **OVER** 200 reviews...it's just...wow! You guys have no idea how much your support, suggestions, critique, and encouragement means to me. I read each one, and take everything you guys say into consideration.

This chapter _was_ going to be shorter than the last, with a HUGE cliffy, but I decided to make it longer for you guys, and updated quickly, too! (pats herself on the back) Love you all, and thanks!

Besides, cliffhangers are evil!

Hehe, happy 200 to Losing Naruto! Without further ado, here's chapter fifteen.

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Knock, knock, knock.

Sakura's head whipped in the direction of her open door, hearing the faint knocking sound coming from downstairs. She had been hoping to get everything packed up before going to sleep. Her transfer to Suna would be final tomorrow, and she planned on leaving first thing in the morning.

Knock, knock, knock

"Damn it!" she cursed out loud, stomping her left foot.

Sakura was _tired_. She'd woken up at 5 am that morning to begin packing, and hadn't stopped since. It was now dark outside, she had yet to eat, and her room was a disaster. Most of her clothes were packed, but she made sure to leave a few choices hanging in the closet. Everything else was either scattered around the room, or separated into piles, waiting to be put in boxes.

The thing that took up the most of her time was going through all of the stuff she had. Some of it was borrowed and had to be returned, some of it she decided to give away, and some of it she didn't even remember owning in the first place.

_Why couldn't I have just sorted this crap out earlier._

_I always do this._

_Now look at the situation I'm in!_

Knock, knock, knock

_And they just aren't gonna go away_!

With one last frustrated stomp, she made her way to the door, hoping that the person wasn't there anymore. She really didn't feel like dealing with anyone tonight. Trying her best to calm down, she grabbed the knob and pulled the door open.

"Listen, I…" Sakura trailed off upon noticing the girl standing at her door, holding a small plate of rice balls in her arms. She was wearing her usual training clothes, watching Sakura timidly.

"Hinata…?" She asked in utter disbelief, watching the Hyuuga with her mouth wide open, not moving an inch.

Sakura's head spun. She had no idea how she was going to deal with this. Her mind had been going over hundreds of different ways to explain herself, to apologize without sounding fake. In every scenario she had come up with, Hinata had never sought her out. She simply did not know how to deal with this, plain and simple.

"Hello, Sakura. How are you?"

Sakura blinked.

"Um, fine. Thanks. How are you?" She mentally kicked herself for sounding so stupid.

_How do you think she is, you moron_!

Hinata only smiled again, lowering her head just a bit, then picking it up. "I'm glad. And I'm doing alright."

"Good, that's…good."

Silence.

Hinata was biting her lip, looking down at the ground, then at the sky, then at the nearby bush. Sakura continued watching her curiously, still wondering why she was here.

_Maybe she wants to fight or something?_

_With rice balls? _

_Right. Oh wait. Damn!_

"Hinata," Sakura suddenly called out, causing the Hyuuga to jump slightly out of shock. "I'm sorry, um -would you like to come in?"

She smiled softly, nodding once, and stepped into the house as Sakura moved to the side and motioned for her to enter. Closing the door behind the other girl, Sakura looked at the nearby clock, surprised to see that it was barely 7:56 pm. She felt like she had been awake for two weeks.

Taking a few steps into the living room, she saw Hinata walking around aimlessly, the plate of rice balls still in her arms.

"You can just set those down right there on that table." Sakura offered, pointing to a low table in the middle of the living room that had cushions on all four sides.

"Alright." She answered, sounding relieved.

After the rice balls were set down, both girls moved to either side of the small table, sitting down on the floor with their legs crossed beneath them. Sakura was inspecting her fingernails, while Hinata was biting her lip, not sure where to put her hands. She moved them from the table, to her lap, then to the table again, before finally deciding to rest them on her knees.

As the seconds went by, the tension became thick. Both girls would take turns glancing at each other, only to quickly look away. Sakura knew it was going to be awkward, and she wanted to settle it peacefully…but right now, she would even choose yelling over the deafening silence.

Sakura's eyes fell on the rice balls, and with a small jolt she realized she hadn't eaten anything all day. The rice balls looked irresistible, she could feel her stomach preparing to growl. As she moved her hand closer to grab one of the delectable rice balls, she noticed Hinata's hand closing in on the exact same one.

_Oh it just figures_.

They both quickly pulled their hands back, and lowered their heads slightly. After a moment, Hinata and Sakura's heads slowly rose, finally making eye contact. It was Hinata who spoke first.

"Uh, um, I'm sorry, Sakura- please. Take it."

"No, it's alright. You were going for it first."

"No, please, have it. It's-it's fine."

"Hinata - just take it."

"That's kind of you. But I-"

"Just take the rice ball, Hinata!" Sakura snapped, not leaving room for argument.

Hinata's eyes widened slightly, before she quickly grabbed the rice ball, and began eating it slowly. Sakura sighed, grabbing one for herself. They ate in silence, not making eye contact once. After all of the food was finished, Sakura said her thanks and stood to get tea from the kitchen. She turned around, and took a few steps before Hinata's small voice stopped her.

"Do you love him?"

Sakura stiffened, closing her eyes slowly, still not turning around to face Hinata. The room felt ten times smaller than before.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Sakura asked, cursing herself for not sounding as casual as she had hoped.

_Please let her change her mind._

_Please_…!

"Do you love Naruto?"

_Oh god_.

It was becoming too much. She took a few steps, stopping before the doorway of the kitchen, leaning against the wall.. Sakura could feel her chest constricting slightly, her breath was quickening. Before she could lose herself completely, she focused on her chakra, taking calming breaths. She expected shyness, lots of beating around bushes. Not…this.

"I-"Sakura began, "I can't discuss this right now, Hinata. I'm sorry."

Before she could step into the kitchen, Hinata called out Sakura's name, effectively stopping her. She slumped in defeat, bringing a hand up to rub her forehead slowly.

"Please. Just - just tell me what's going on." Hinata sounded so small, so defeated. Sakura couldn't help but wince.

Both of her hands were now hanging loosely at her sides, unmoving. She stood in front of the doorway for a few moments, back still facing Hinata, not saying a word. Slowly, she felt her body turning, listened to the sound of her bare feet hitting the hardwood floors. She watched the space across from Hinata get closer, and closer, until all she could do was sit down, and face the problem head on.

They were now making eye contact, watching each other across the small table that was in the middle of the living room. Neither of them moved. The tension was gone, replaced with something far more uncomfortable. It was calm. Both girls knew that it was a false calm. Like the one that comes before a devastating storm.

Finally, Sakura broke the silence.

"I'm sorry, Hinata."

"For what? I-I don't even know what it is you're apologizing for, Sakura." Hinata sounded helpless.

Sakura took a deep breath. She had no idea where to start, and since apologizing wasn't helping at this point, she figured she might as well just come clean. Not completely clean, of course. She would tell Hinata and Naruto the same thing.

"Alright. I'm going to Suna tomorrow. Actually, I'm transferring to Suna. For good."

"Why?" Hinata stared at her in disbelief.

"I'm needed over there. Besides, I'm ready for a change in my life. Konoha, as much as I love it, isn't where I need to be."

"Oh." She replied simply, looking down at her now, interlaced fingers that were resting in her lap. A moment passed by, then Sakura continued.

"That night-um-" Closing her eyes, she gulped slowly, praying for any strength possible. "at the, um-"

"Party?" Hinata supplied questioningly, watching Sakura with slightly raised eyebrows, her face etched with worry.

"Yes, party, thank you, Hinata." Sakura smiled weakly, then continued. "At the party, I told Naruto about my plans to leave, and he - well, he didn't take it very well."

Hinata nodded, encouraging Sakura to continue.

"Then, he told me that I shouldn't go, that I…that I belong here. And of course, he tried convincing me to stay." Sakura smiled warmly at the memory. Her smile faded slowly as she began to speak again.

"And we hugged, like _friends _do. Then, we just got lost for a moment. And we almost made a huge mistake."

Sakura watched Hinata closely. Her head was bowed slightly, and she was fidgeting with a part of her Chuunin vest. She waited, and inwardly sighed in relief when the Hyuuga's head rose.

"A…mistake?" She asked, sounding as if she didn't believe the words at all, but wanted to.

"Yes, a big mistake. You're my friend, right?"

Sakura smiled brightly when she saw Hinata nod quickly.

_Thank god I haven't ruined things_…

"Well," Sakura continued, "Naruto is my friend too. You both mean a lot to me, and I would never, ever do anything to hurt you."

Hinata appeared to think about this for a moment.

"So…you and Naruto aren't…?"

Sakura looked at Hinata's hopeful face. In that instant, she imagined saying that she was interested. Imagined what being with Naruto would be like. Holding him, touching him, having him by her side. He could fulfill his dreams of being Hokage, and she would give him a family. It would be perfect.

_Except…_

_I'm not graceful. Not like a Rokudaime's wife should be. My hands are scarred, and weathered. _

_I couldn't give him strong children. I have no special bloodline._

_I'm just not good enough for him._

_He deserves better_.

With great effort, Sakura shook her head from side to side. Before she knew it, she was caught in a massive hug by the smaller Hyuuga. She stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. She was glad Hinata couldn't see her face. Glad she couldn't see the lone tear that escaped, as she let her composure slip, for just a moment. She wiped it away hastily as Hinata pulled back, beaming.

"Thank you!"

"For what?"

"Everything. You've…become my best friend. This past week you've supported me, and been there for me. And-" Hinata frowned, and Sakura continued to watch her. "-and I almost ruined that. Jumping to conclusions, causing a scene. I really hope everyone can forgive me. Especially you, Sakura."

Sakura wanted to cry. Instead, she smiled.

"It's nothing! Don't worry about it, it's all in the past. And don't you dare thank me for anything. That's what friends are for." Sakura said sternly, before continuing in a teasing voice. "Just know that I expect to be the maid of honor at your guys' wedding."

Hinata stared at Sakura in confusion for a second, before realization set it. She blushed deeply.

"Sakura…stop teasing me…"

The pink haired Chuunin laughed. And just like that, things were back to normal. As they should be. After a bit more teasing, and two cups of tea, Hinata finally made her way home, waving goodbye as she walked down the street and out of sight.

Once Sakura was sure the girl was gone for good, she closed the large door, leaning against it. She let out a deep breath, sliding down until she was slumped on the floor, knees tucked under her chin. She looked around the room, not really seeing anything. Her mind was still going over the last few hours, trying to register all that had happened.

_I guess Hinata's taken care of for now._

_All that's left is Naruto._

_I'll make him understand. It'll be fine._

_I'll leave, and Hinata will be here for him._

_He'll forget about me._

_Because…_

She could feel a stinging behind her eyes, and her bottom lip began to tremble. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, willing the tears away. She didn't want to cry, not now.

_Maybe it's ok._

_Now that I'm alone._

_It's ok to cry alone, right?_

And on that thought, Sakura buried her face in her knees, and cried.

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_Where am I_?

_What the_…?

Opening her eyes quickly, Sakura began taking in her surroundings. She was still in her quiet, dimly lit house. Only now, she was curled in a ball, laying next to her doorway. Apparently having fallen asleep crying.

_How long_..?

She stood up slowly, checking the clock on the nearby table. Sakura groaned. It read 9:32 pm, meaning she could have only been asleep for a few minutes. After debating weather or not to go back to sleep, she decided to finish packing.

_To hell with it, I'll sleep when I get there_.

_I have to leave to Suna in…about nine and a half hours_.

_Not like I have time to pack and then sleep anyways._

She began to make her way towards the stairs when she heard an impatient knock coming from the door a few feet away. She frowned, as far as she knew, she wasn't expecting anyone. And if it were an emergency, they'd find their way in. Just as she was about to walk up the first step, she froze.

_That chakra…_

_Well, at least I can get this over with_.

The knocks started up again, this time louder and in rapid succession. Sakura rolled her eyes, opening the door to let him in. All she could see was a yellow blur, and before she knew it, the door was closed and she was pushed against the door.

"Naruto, what the hell-?"

"I figured it out!" He interrupted, smiling brightly.

"What are you-"

Before she could finish her sentence, blink, or even move, his face was inches away from hers. Sakura couldn't move, and could barely think. She simply stared at him, eyes widening when she heard him utter two small words against her mouth.

"Don't go."

The next thing she knew, his lips were crashing onto hers. It wasn't slow and gentle, but hard, desperate and filled with emotion. Sakura's eyes were wide, she had yet to move. Her feelings were telling her that this was right. That if she would only put her arms around him, everything would be fine. She wouldn't have to cry alone anymore.

This was what she wanted. This is what she needed. Him.

But something was still keeping her from responding to his kiss. Something else was fighting it's way to the surface of her hazy thoughts. It was telling Sakura that this wasn't right. That it wasn't ok, and if she allowed this to continue, something terrible would happen.

_But he's here with me…that's all that matters_.

Pushing all thoughts to the back of her mind, Sakura finally allowed her eyes to close. As she was bringing her hands up to rest against his chest, one tiny voice broke through to the surface. A voice she couldn't ignore, saying things she couldn't forget.

'_You've become my best friend_.'

Sakura's hands stopped right before touching his chest. In one motion, she pushed him hard, sending him stumbling backwards. He was watching her intently, and she could see as well as hear his rapid breathing. His expression changed from one of confusion to one of pain as he watched what she did next. Bringing the back of her hand to her mouth, Sakura rubbed it roughly against her lips, as if cleaning something dirty.

_This is what I have to do._

_You're doing it for him, Sakura._

_Do it for him_.

Making herself look as angry as possible, Sakura took a deep breath, silently praying for all the strength she could muster. She clenched her fists tightly, readying herself.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Naruto!" Sakura managed to make herself sound furious. She would have congratulated herself if it hadn't hurt so much.

She almost faltered, watching him cringe as she yelled. He looked lost for a moment, opening and closing his mouth as he watched her.

"I'm-I'm sorry." His voice was weak.

_Keep going Sakura_.

"I didn't ask for an apology." Her voice was cold. "I asked what the hell you thought you were doing. What made you think you had the right to do that?"

His head lowered, whether in embarrassment or misery, Sakura couldn't tell. So she kept going, furiously stifling all of her feelings, all of the pain and the sympathy that was threatening to tear her apart.

"Talk to me!" She yelled, and was shocked to see his head quickly snap up. His expression was no longer one of shock or confusion. He looked every bit determined, and she almost crumpled under the sheer weight of his gaze. Sakura knew that face.

"I'm not letting you go." His words were simple, but laced with determination.

_You have to_.

"What? Let?" She asked incredulously. "Naruto, you're my friend, not my father!"

He didn't back down.

"Exactly. I'm your friend, and call me selfish or whatever, but I want you to stay with me, here in Konoha. This is where you belong!" He was almost yelling, those blue eyes Sakura loved so much were full of emotion.

But she refused to back down. She knew what she had to do. For better or for worse, her decision was made.

"I think I can decide that for myself." She replied coldly, crossing her arms.

For a moment, neither of them moved or said anything. Then slowly, he began to shake his head in disbelief.

"Have you actually forgotten so soon? Forgotten everything -everything you said to me about being scared and losing me, and then how we almost…what was that about, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's mind scrambled frantically for a moment, before quickly coming up with an answer. The same one she gave Hinata. Only this time, she knew saying it would hurt a hundred times more.

"That was a mistake." She answered, her tone devoid of any emotion whatsoever. "I got caught up in the moment, and forgot myself. I'm sorry if you got the wrong idea."

"But," Naruto began desperately, the determination slipping from his tone. "Then, then what about everything you said, huh? About not wanting to lose me - was that a lie?"

Sakura sighed.

"It wasn't a lie." She answered truthfully. "You're my best friend, and when I found out you were going to become the Hokage I felt…lost. For the first time, it was like you weren't Naruto anymore. You were the Rokudaime." She did nothing to cover the pain in her tone.

Naruto took a few steps towards her, but before he could reach her, she held one hand out to stop him. He looked from her hand to her eyes, silently questioning her.

"But I've found myself Naruto. I belong in Suna. And you -" Sakura's voice began to tremble against her will "-you will make a great Hokage. I'll miss you, and I love you, but…not in the way you want me to. I'm so sorry."

Sakura watched his face fall, saw those beautiful blue eyes instantly overflow with sadness. It made her want to cry. He slumped his shoulders slightly, biting his lower lip before lowering his head. And she could almost hear his heart breaking. She knew exactly how it felt, since hers was shattering at the same time.

_Forgive me_.

She took a few slow steps, moving closer to him. Once she was a couple feet away, she lifted his chin slightly to meet his gaze. Sakura could see the beginning of tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to break her resolve.

"This isn't the end though," She began in a shaky voice, still raw with emotion. "We can still write, and be friends, and I'll try to visit you as much as I can. It'll be okay. You'll be ok."

Naruto shook his head, and she smiled reassuringly, fixing the stray yellow hairs that fell into his eyes. Cupping his cheek, she moved her thumb to gently rub those faint whisker-like scars she loved so much. He closed his eyes at the contact, a single tear fell down his cheek.

"You will. You're the strongest person I know Naruto. Always have been."

He opened his eyes, and she was saddened to see even more tears threatening to fall.

"I'm-" He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the trembling in his voice. "I'm gonna miss you Sakura-chan. A lot."

"I know..."

_I can't do it anymore_.

With that thought, Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder as she wept uncontrollably. He quickly brought his arms up, holding her close. She could feel his body shaking slightly against hers, and could hear the occasional sniff as he rubbed her back soothingly.

She didn't know how long they had been standing there, comforting each other in the dimly lit room. And it didn't matter. He held her the entire time. His presence was soothing, and made the pain she was feeling a bit less unbearable. Sakura relaxed, deciding that just for now, she could fool herself into thinking everything would be ok.

As her sobs died down, she could feel the last of her energy draining. The mental and physical exhaustion hit her like a wave. Sakura could hear his voice asking her something from far away, but could only make out the words "time" and "morning". As he pulled away, she felt herself falling.

The last thing she remembered was being caught by something warm, before blacking out completely.

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Sakura slowly woke up with a loud yawn. She quickly stretched, feeling a slight tingle in her body, waking her up completely. Her blanket was pulled over her head, and she huddled into a ball, enjoying the warmth her it provided for her. As the haze in Sakura's mind started to clear, she tried to remember exactly how she had gotten in bed in the first place.

_Everything had gone black. _

_The last thing I remember is falling. _

_But then…_

_He caught me_.

Sakura smiled sadly, realizing that Naruto must have put her in bed. And, being the perfect gentleman that he is, hadn't tried changing her clothes while she was asleep. She was glad that being around Jiraiya hadn't effected him _that_ much. Laughing softly, she huddled deeper into the warm mattress.

In the back of her mind, something kept telling her to get up. She had been trying to ignore it, but it was persistent, and kept pushing itself to the forefront of her thoughts.

Then it clicked.

_Suna_.

_Damn. _

_Well, the sun isn't even all the way up yet. I've got time._

_Only…_

_There's something I…_

"Packing!" Sakura yelled, throwing her eyes open. She threw the blanket off, and prepared to jump out of bed, but what she saw made her freeze in shock.

_Oh…my…god_.

Everything was packed. All of the boxes were neatly stacked in the far corner, they were even labeled and sealed. She could barely believe her eyes. As she looked to her bedside table, she spotted a small handwritten note. Reaching a shaky hand out, she picked it up and brought it closer.

----------------

Sakura-chan,

Damn, you're lazy!

I packed you're stuff for you last night after you fell asleep, (more like fainted!) so you owe me big time!

Just messing around, consider it my going away present or something. I wish I could see you off, but the old hag wanted to start "Hokage Training" early today. Geez, she never gets off my back!

Have fun in Suna, and you'd better write!

Love,

Naruto

PS: One last time. PLEASE STAY?

(and don't show this letter to the Tsunade-baba. She had problems with being called old, so she'll probably hit me again!)

----------------

Sakura laughed softly, taking a long look around the room. It all seemed so real now. She would be gone in a few hours, living a different life as a shinobi of the sand. She knew it was the right decision, and knew everyone would be better off. This way, she could help people, and be somewhere that she was actually needed.

And while she would miss Naruto, she knew he would be better of as well. He still loved her, that much she was certain of, and she loved him too. But with her gone, he could move on, learn to love someone else. Someone worthy of him.

Sakura smiled sadly, carefully folding the note and stuffing it in the pocket of her loose pants. Her room looked so bare, all that was in it now was the furniture, her blankets and the boxes. All of it, her wall hangings, pictures, books, weapons…even her clock was packed. She was actually surprised he left the blankets. Sakura had to hand it him, he was extremely thorough when it came to packing.

_But wait._

_He didn't._

_Not the rest of my.._

She was almost afraid to look, but leaned over anyways, peering into her closet. Which was of course, now empty. And sure enough, on the boxes at the very bottom of the pile were the large red words reading "Sakura-chan's Clothes".

_He did_.

She blinked once.

Then twice.

And then she screamed.

"THAT MORON!"

-----------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Hehe, awwwww…not all that bright, is he? I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, I meant to update sooner, but then Lost came on (Why, Sawyer!), and then more stuff happened, and now it's like 2 am. I usually catch up on my favorite fanfics this late, and here I am updating my own. Still seems strange that I'm writing this. Of course, not as strange as people actually liking it - that still confuses me, lol.

**Chapter 16** Should be up soon. I haven't started it yet, but it's all planned out. This story isn't over, guys! And just so you know, the shmexy Kazekage will definitely be making an appearance.

Ok, gotta go before I get all fangirly on you guys…

More and more and more THANKS to my reviewers, and my readers. You're all my favorite people!


	16. The way it has to be

A/N: Wow, long time no update, huh? Sorry, but my life has gotten all complicated, and the inspiration just wasn't there. I decided to put in a six-month time jump, for reasons that should become clear soon. Let me just say that Hokage's are not born overnight.

To everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I give my heartfelt thanks. I honestly have no idea why people like this story, and each review I get is still such a pleasant surprise. You guys are amazing, I undoubtedly have the best readers in the world. I'm glad you like this story, and hope you enjoy chapter 16 of Losing Naruto.

(**EDIT**: Thanks so much to Songbird21 for pointing out the mistake I made! I had noticed it after printing it out, but after reading it over a few times on my computer, I completely forgot it was there! I'm not that bright...thanks again!)

* * *

It was another warm morning in Suna, and Sakura was preparing a cup of coffee, getting ready to face the day. It wasn't as if it got easier, but as each day went on, Sakura made it a point to tell herself that this was the day things would get better. She had to do that, had to have hope for a good day. 

She had been assigned to the small apartments not far from the main building Gaara worked in. She had never lived in an apartment before, which only made the transition to Suna even more difficult. All in all, she decided that it could have been much worse. The apartment was already furnished, tastefully done in maroon and beige colors. It wasn't cheap, but also wasn't over the top.

The furniture was brand new, and Sakura couldn't help but be impressed. She knew Gaara had taken his duties seriously, and was glad that she was welcomed so warmly. Unfortunately, Sakura had never gotten to know him as well as Naruto had, and she had come to regret it.

Simply being in the Kazekage's presence was unnerving, and she wished she had been able to prepare for it beforehand. Unfortunately, she was too mixed up in other, more personal business.

Naruto.

She knew that she would always love him. But had hoped that in time, she would come to miss him less and less. That wouldn't be the case, though. The intensity of her feelings had nearly doubled with their time apart. Each and every time she saw a flash of blonde hair her heart would beat faster, and she would frantically search in hope of seeing him, only to find that she had mistaken someone else for him..

Because it was always someone else.

His smiling face was gone, his laugh wasn't there to brighten up her day. His absence was carving a hole into her heart that she couldn't fill no matter how hard she tried. And perhaps it was silly to hope that he would come to her door, all smiles, begging her to come back to him. It was foolish to think he still thought about her, when he was probably mere steps away from being the official Rokudaime. But no matter what Sakura did, she couldn't let go of him.

He often wrote her, but what were once multiple-paged letters, were now hastily scribbled notes. It hurt, but she understood. They no longer lived the same lives.

It was better this way. She had to keep telling herself that, but no matter how many times she thought it, whispered it, screamed it, wrote it…

It never felt right.

And things were only getting harder.

Something that helped a lot was having Temari around. They had become friends before she had went to Suna, since the girl always seemed to hang around Konoha a little more often than necessary. However, after leaving all of her friends and family behind, Sakura and Temari had become close friends, often spending time with each other, talking about Shikamaru, Naruto, and other Konoha events she had missed out on. Which she was grateful for, since she knew Temari wasn't big on gossip.

One thing Sakura never failed to notice was how the blonde would always get a faraway look when discussing Shikamaru. He still hadn't returned from his 'top-secret mission', and while she said she wasn't worried, Sakura knew better. Especially since she was also worried about her other friends that had joined ANBU. She had yet to get any word on their condition, and the possibilities often kept her up at night.

And then there were her duties as a medic-nin, always keeping her busy. She was by far the most experienced one in Suna, constantly being sent on dangerous missions to assist the others. Things had only gotten more intense after she passed the Jounin exams three months ago, earning herself a spot on a few S-rank missions. And if that wasn't enough work, Gaara had recently assigned her a small batch of Jounin as apprentices, who were, to Sakura's immense relief, learning extremely fast.

The work kept coming, and she kept accepting it without question. Even though she knew it was becoming too much, she wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop. Sakura was determined to find a way to keep her mind off Naruto, no matter what the consequences.

And sometimes, when it became too much, and Sakura was overwhelmed with exhaustion, she was granted a few moments of peace. A few precious moments of relief, where her mind would drift off into a hazy state of nothingness. She needed these moments, thrived for them. It was her solace, and the only way she could find it was through work. So she worked.

It was quickly becoming a routine. She would wake up, make a cup of coffee, eat, shower, get dressed, then work. Sometimes, she would return home so tired she would fall asleep on the couch, shoes on and everything. On better days, she would make it to her bed, but lately these days were fewer and far between.

For the past couple weeks, no big missions had come in, and Sakura had taken to training her apprentices all throughout the day. To make matters worse, she had lately taken to exploding over small, insignificant things. It was something she couldn't control, and found herself wracked with guilt afterwards.

She knew her outbursts had nothing to do with them, and everything to do with the exhaustion and frustration she was constantly feeling lately. Not having any difficult missions to go on was only making things worse.

So as Sakura sat at her small table, drinking the hot coffee she had prepared, she was pleasantly surprised to see a small bird sitting in her window. A huge smile crept onto her face as the message was relayed. The Kazekage wanted to speak to her. And it was important.

Within minutes, Sakura was charging out the door, dressed and ready for whatever mission she was assigned. Hopefully, it would be S-rank, but she would happily accept an A-rank at this point. Her skills as a medic-nin were constantly needed, yet she still hoped for a solo mission or two, as her other skills were honed to near perfection.

Waving at a few acquaintances along the way, Sakura jogged the short distance to the Kazekage's building, not wanting to make him wait, and not being able to wait herself. As she walked through the double doors, she looked over at his secretary, a small, timid, nineteen year old Chuunin named Rika. Sakura smiled warmly as she approached the large desk the pale, dark-haired girl worked at.

"Good morning, Rika-san." Sakura bowed to the smiling girl sitting before her.

"Good morning to you, Haruno-san." She politely bowed her head, folding her hands over her desk.

Sakura laughed softly, shaking her head.

"Rika-san, how many times must I ask you to call me Sakura?"

"I'm sorry, but while I am at work, I must act in a professional manner." Rika answered seriously, making Sakura smile softly.

"Understood. I assume you know why I'm here?"

With a gasp, the woman shot up immediately, causing Sakura to jump back a few steps. The chair she was sitting on shot back, and hit the nearby wall with a small crash, making the small secretary visibly cringe as she turned to survey the damage.

"Oh no! Gaara-sama is going to be furious! What am I going to do? This is the third time this week I've caused such a mess, he won't be as forgiving this time! Ahhhh! I must look so incompetent to him, why does he even allow me to work here?" The young woman wailed loudly, before putting her head in both of her hands to mumble incoherently.

The only reason Sakura wasn't seriously worried was because she was used to this. The first time it happened was her second day in Suna, the girl had forgotten her name and apologized profusely for a full three minutes before a nearby Jounin managed to calm her down. In time, Sakura had discovered that the girl was not only cursed with a not-so-sharp memory, but was also a bit clumsy.

And on top of it all, had a monstrously huge crush on a certain Kazekage.

Snapping herself out of her thoughts, Sakura quickly stepped over to the slightly hysterical girl, putting both hands on her shoulders to calm her down.

"Rika-san, please relax. It's no big deal, trust me. Now, if you would just-" Sakura stretched to grab the chair, which had toppled over a small arrangement of flowers, and pulled it under the dazed Chuunin. "-sit down, and breath deeply, I'll see myself into the Kazekage's office. Alright?"

The girl nodded numbly, staring off into space while slowly sitting down in the offered chair. Sakura sighed, slowly stepping away, to walk in the direction of Gaara's office.

_I wonder if she would work better without the crush._

_We'll probably never know._

_I wonder why Gaara even lets her work here in the first place, surly he could find a better secretary_.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura decided not to think to much about the situation. She knew she could get to the bottom of it if she wanted to, but decided not to bother. Not as if she could help, love was obviously not her best department.

A few minutes later, Sakura found herself standing in front of the Kazekage's door, not sure if she should knock, or wait for him to notice she was standing outside the door, or call out to-

"Enter."

_Well, I guess he made up my mind for me_.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura cautiously opened the door, stepping inside slowly, before closing the heavy door behind her. No matter how many times she had been inside the large office, it never got easier. There was something about Gaara that still struck a chord of fear in her heart. While he was undoubtedly a good man, she knew that if he wanted to, he could kill her in seconds before she even knew what was happening.

His office was lightly furnished, with high, heavily curtained windows, and hardwood floors. An expensive-looking leather couch was set against the wall on her left, in front of it was a black coffee table. A few small, tasteful paintings adorned the white walls, that, coupled with the cleanliness and order of the room almost gave Gaara's office a museum-like feel.

At the far end of the room was a large oak desk, in back of it was a black leather couch, which was where the Kazekage now sat, filling out a small pile of papers. As she approached the vacant chair in front of his desk, he put his pen down, slowly looking up to watch Sakura with an expressionless stare.

Gaara was no longer the small, angry, homicidal boy she had met all those years ago hanging upside-down in a tree. He was now the leader of his village, proud and brave, making him impossible not to admire. He hadn't only changed on the inside though, which Sakura couldn't help but also admire.

He was now around six feet tall, and while he wasn't as built as Naruto and Sasuke were, he was lean, and carried himself with a strong confidence that made up for everything else. He wore black pants under robes of deep maroon and brown, fitting to his body perfectly. His hair was still red, but had grown a bit longer, and now framed his soft features. Of course, the tattoo on his forehead was still there, but was sometimes covered up by his red, silky tresses.

What made the biggest difference, was how he had lost all traces of baby fat. His nose was now slightly narrow, and he had high cheekbones. His lips were full, but not too full, and he had a strong jaw, which kept his face from looking feminine. Those dark rings were still around his eyes, combining with his red hair to complement his pale skin.

All in all, Sakura wasn't even a little bit shocked to discover that he had his own unofficial fan club consisting of women of all ages from all around Suna. From the youngest Genin, to the oldest Jounin, to the elderly women who worked at the market - all of them were crazy for the Kazekage.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she bowed deeply before him.

"Good morning, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara nodded, motioning for her to sit in the chair in front of his desk. With a small smile, Sakura sat, waiting for him to begin. He continued to watch her closely for a moment, and Sakura found herself fidgeting nervously under his scrutinizing gaze. After a few moments, she decided to break the silence.

"Uh, um, you wanted to-uh see me, Kazekage-sama?" Sakura forced a smile, wanting nothing more than to run away, her stomach was tied up in nervous knots. He continued to watch her for a second longer, before standing up and walking over to one of the windows, turning his back to Sakura.

"You can relax, Haruno-san. I mean you no harm." He calmly said, no tone whatsoever in his voice.

Sakura blanched, her eyes widening.

"Oh, I know, I'm sorry, Kazekage-sama. I've just been a little off lately." Sakura replied, watching him turn his head slightly to look at her, before he turned his head, once again looking out the window.

"That's one of the things I wanted to speak to you about." A short pause. "Lately, your work has been slipping."

Sakura waited, and when he didn't continue, she figured he must have been waiting for her to say something. Unfortunately, she had no idea what to say to that.

"Slipping?" she question tentatively, "But in all due respect, I haven't had a mission for-"

"When was the last time you took a day off, Haruno-san?" Gaara interrupted, voice still low, and his tone still devoid of any emotion.

Sakura opened and closed her mouth, before lowering her head to look down into her lap. She absently played with her fingers, which were resting together on her knees as she took a moment to think about what Gaara had just asked.

_I haven't even thought of resting in so long._

_Training the medic-nin's has kept me so busy.._

"Furthermore," Gaara continued, "When was the last time you gave your apprentices a day off?"

_Oh._

_Now I get it_.

"Um, you see," She answered slowly, not knowing what she was going to say, or why she had even started speaking in the first place.

Luckily, Gaara saved her the trouble of coming up with an excuse.

"Your appearance also worries me. When you arrived, all was well. Yet these past few months, your health had began to deteriorate, and it shows."

Sakura blinked a few times, letting everything he was saying register. She vaguely wondered what Gaara was getting at, and if he would get to it sooner rather than later.

"When I assigned you that group of Jounin, I had hoped you would teach them well, which you have. Only now, their progress seems to have come to a halt. They are always tired, and their exhaustion has negatively affected their missions, causing three failures this past month alone."

Gaara continued to look out the window, still keeping his back to Sakura, who was now completely speechless. She knew that she was responsible for the failed missions, and didn't know what she could possibly say to make the situation better. She wasn't sure there was anything she could say. She had messed up, plain and simple.

"I was hoping that in time, you would fix the situation yourself, and that I would not have to be involved. It seems I was wrong about you. Don't misunderstand me, your skills are impressive, but you have allowed your personal problems to interfere with your work. I was told by the Hokage herself that you were extremely professional, and handled yourself with great maturity. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of placing too much faith in you, Haruno-san."

Finally, Gaara tuned and sat down at his desk, once again watching her closely. This time though, it didn't effect Sakura the same way. The usual feeling of nervousness was long gone, replaced with guilt and disappointment. As he continued to watch her, she could do nothing but slump miserably in her chair, frowning deeply.

"I have come to a decision, which is final."

Sakura mentally prepared herself. She would accept his punishment, whatever it was. Bracing herself for the worst, she brought her face up to look him in the eyes, trying to appear as confident as possible.

"I will do whatever is asked of me, Kazekage-sama."

At this, she noticed a smirk come over Gaara's face, shocking her to the core. It wasn't that evil, sadistic, 'I'm gonna kill you' kind of smirk he used to make when they were Genin, but more of a confident, satisfied, 'you're playing into my hands' kind of smirk. Either way, Sakura knew it couldn't be good. Before she knew it, his face was back to it's usual blank expression, making her wonder if she might have imagined it in the first place.

"Good." He simply said after a moment, reaching for his pen and scribbling something down on a blank paper before folding it and putting it aside. Sakura watched it curiously for a moment before her continued.

"You are to accompany myself, Temari and Kankuro tomorrow morning. We will leave at 6 am sharp, and I expect you to be there on time." He finished, leaving no room for argument.

_Is that….my punishment?_

_It couldn't be._

"Kazekage-sama," Sakura slowly began, lowering her gaze, not being able to keep eye contact with Gaara for too long. "About my punishment-"

"Punishment?" He questioned, a tiny hint of curiosity in his voice. "I said nothing of any punishment."

Sakura whipped her head up to stare at him, completely shocked.

_What the hell is going on_?

At her questioning look, Gaara continued, closing his eyes for a moment, then answering her question.

"I have made the decision to force you to take a three-day rest. During this time, you will accompany myself and my siblings on a trip. Why you are coming is not important, just know that your presence is required. Understood?"

Sakura nodded, not understanding one bit, but choosing not to question him any more than was absolutely necessary.

"Then you are dismissed." He motioned for her to leave, and not needing to be told twice, Sakura stood and bowed deeply.

She could tell that she was beginning to annoy him, and wouldn't dare press her luck any further. She was still shocked that her only punishment was a forced vacation.

_Maybe they're going somewhere horrible._

_What if he leaves me there…_

She made her way out of his office. As she reached the door, Sakura began to panic slightly, not knowing what Gaara could possibly have in store for her. As she went over the possibilities, she came to the conclusion that it simply made no sense. Why would he force her to go with them, unless…

_Unless he was sure I would say no_.

_That's it_..

Before she could think twice about it, she turned towards Gaara, noticing he had gone back to his paperwork. Not caring about the violent death she very well could suffer for questioning him too much, she opened her mouth, needing answers.

"Kazekage-sama, may I ask where we are going?" She inwardly winced when he looked up, looking at her with an annoyed expression. He looked her over for a moment before returning to his work. Sakura stood there, watching him expectantly as he continued to write, as if completely ignoring her presence.

Ok, I should probably leave while I still can.

With a small sigh, Sakura turned, facing the door. As her hand closed over the knob, she heard his low voice, stopping her before she could turn it.

"Konoha."

The hand that was closed over the knob tightened it's grip, making her fingers turn white under the pressure. Her breath came out in short, ragged gasps. She felt as if her heart had jumped up into her throat, like her stomach had bottomed out, and she was sure she would soon be sick.

_Konoha?_

_Why?_

_I can't go back._

_I can't see him again. _

_Not now._

Sakura remembered telling him, before she left, that she would visit as often as possible. But now that she was faced with the prospect of seeing him face to face, after six long months, she found herself scared beyond reason. Scared of what she would say, of what she would do when faced with those deep, blue eyes once again. Would she be able to put on a brave face, and pretend everything was as good as she said it was in her letters? Would she be able to walk away, once again, even though it nearly killed her the first time?

But perhaps, what worried Sakura most of all, was his reaction. She told herself that she wanted him to be happy when she saw him again. That all she wanted was to see him smile, and tell her that everything was going great.

But deep down inside, she knew better. A large part of herself was well aware of the pain she would feel when she saw him living happily in Konoha. Living happily without her there. When she thought about Hinata holding his hand, laughing, and smiling, it brought a wave of dark emotions over her. Jealousy, sadness, anger, guilt, regret…

It scared her.

Finally forcing herself into the present, she released her grip on the doorknob, bringing her hand up to rest on her stomach. Taking a deep, calming breath, she turned around to face Gaara, bowing deeply. As she stood straight, she prepared herself for what she was about to say.

"I am deeply sorry, Kazekage-sama, but I cannot go."

He looked shocked for a moment, before his expression changed to one of mild annoyance.

"I recall saying my decision was final. Be ready by 6 am. You are dismissed." His head lowered, returning to the paperwork before him.

"But, Kazekag-" His head shot up, and he sent a dangerous glare in her direction. She found herself unable to move or speak, and wondered if she had pushed him too far.

_I completely forgot who I was dealing with_…

"You are _dismissed_, Haruno-san." He repeated, his voice was quiet, his tone deadly serious, chilling Sakura to the bone.

"Y-yes, Kazekage-sama." She bowed deeply, hurriedly making her way out the door, and away from the glare Gaara was sending in her direction. She knew testing him any further would be foolish, and didn't want to take her chances.

Closing the door behind her with a soft _click_, Sakura rested against it, letting everything sink in. She couldn't figure out what was going on. After six long months, she was being forced to visit Konoha, forced to once again deal with her feelings for Naruto. The very feelings she had been trying to stifle through exhausting work and deadly missions.

_Why now, though? _

_Why visit Konoha, what was so important that Gaara…_

_Wait._

As it dawned on Sakura, her eyes widened, and her mouth hung open slightly. There was only one thing that would make the Kazekage leave his village. And it also explained why he wanted her to go. She felt anger make it's way to the surface of her confused feelings, slowly consuming her thoughts, as everything became clear.

_It must be the Hokage ceremonies. _

_This isn't a punishment._

_More like a trap._

_That blonde moron!_

_I have to ask him to reconsider, I have no choice._

Decision made, Sakura faced the door, and put her hand over the knob. As she moved to turn it, a small amount of sand quickly made it's way under the crack of the door. Before she knew what was happening, it was snaked around her wrist, and pulling her hand away gently. She stood, watching in shock as the sand released it's hold on her, returning to the other side of the door.

Before she could do anything, a muffled voice could be heard from inside the room in front of her.

"6 am, Haruno-san. Do not be late."

Sakura continued to stare at the door, unmoving. After a few moments, she forced herself to step away, and continued down the hall, only one thought occupying her mind.

_That guy really is frightening_.

* * *

A/N: Sorry, but I had to make her go to Suna - it's been in the plan since day one. But don't worry, it looks like she's gonna visit Konoha soon! Thanks to my favorite Kazekage. He can tell she misses home, but does he know why? I wonder… 

I'm thinking about the next chapter being from Kakashi's POV, maybe explaining what has happened in Konoha over the past six months, putting some things into perspective. If not, I'll just end up starting with Sakura on her way to Konoha. As of now, I just don't know. Maybe we need another Sakura-less chapter? Hmmm…what do you guys think?

I'm sorry if Gaara was OOC, but I did my best. He's grown up now, and is still a bit unemotional, and maybe a bit too honest. That's Gaara for you though, right?

Chapter 17 Will be written once I can decide who the chapter will be about. (sigh)

Much thanks to each and every reviewer and reader. Your support has kept me going, and I **guarantee** you that this story will not go unfinished. You guys rock!


	17. Worries, plans, and favors

A/N: Ok, I am SO sorry for taking this long to write a new chapter. I said I would do a couple a week, and now look what's happened! Like 2 weeks without an update. So I've gone and written a long chapter, the longest one yet! I'm hoping that will make everything better…is it working?

**(Looks at reviews. Dies.) **To each of you who take the time to review, I give a very special thanks! You keep the chapters coming, and I couldn't be more happy to see all of the response I've gotten for this story so far It's simply amazing.

I noticed some questions from time to time happening in reviews. Unfortunately, it would seem we aren't allowed to do author responses. If you'd like me to answer you in a private message though the site, just say that in your review. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have!

Well, I'm hoping against hope that you enjoy this chapter.

You all deserve it.

* * *

For the past six hours, the butterflies in Sakura's stomach had been fluttering wildly, thoughts of her upcoming reunion of sorts with Naruto buzzing in her head the entire time. There were so many possibilities, each one carrying it's own set of problems, making Sakura realize that this was indeed a lose-lose situation. 

If Naruto is sad when she sees him, it will bring about a load of guilt, and make returning to Suna that much more difficult. On the other hand, if Naruto is happy when she sees him it will mean he really is alright without her. Of course, if his letters were any indication, he was happier than ever. And even though Sakura knew that she should want him to get over her, simply thinking about him not having feelings for her anymore…made her a bit sad. To make matters worse, she knew for a fact that facing him would make all of her feelings that she had been trying so hard to repress come back to the surface.

Which is why Sakura wished she could be anywhere else in the world at this moment. It really didn't matter where. Even hell was preferable to traveling with Gaara, Temari and Kankuro back to Konoha. Back to Naruto. It was as if the past six months hadn't even happened. All of her progress was for nothing, every step she took from Naruto was being retraced.

And there was nothing she could do about it.

The worst part of it all was that she would be going back to Konoha for the damn Hokage ceremony. If it were for any other reason, maybe she could avoid him, pretend to be busy when he knocked on her parents door. Unfortunately, she now had no choice _but_ to face him, there was simply no way of getting out of it. In all of her letters, she told him everything was alright, that she was happy. Now she had to act the part. Face to face.

_Life just isn't fair sometimes_.

------------------------------------------------- **2 months ago, in Konoha** -------------------------------------------------

Kakashi loved reading Icha Icha Paradise.

Day in and day out, Kakashi reads his wonderful smut-filled novels, and enjoys every moment of it. Sure, he gets weird stares, and the occasional hysterical mother asking why he "reads porn in public". But none of it fazed Kakashi. In fact, few things actually could faze the laid back copy-nin. He makes his own rules, follows the beat of his own drummer.

So you can imagine that it was rather unusual for Kakashi to swear off Icha Icha Paradise an entire day. To go 24 hours without reading his precious books.

Yes, he was in for one long, long day.

Why was he doing this? Well, he had noticed that Naruto had been acting strangely, and was determined to find out why. He had done a few missions lately, and completed them, but always seemed distracted. It was a recent mission they were on that had him most curious. Somehow, Naruto had managed to actually be wounded with a kunai, from a young chuunin-level missing-nin, no less. But what really got Kakashi was something he found when he was inspecting Naruto's wounds.

Inside his ripped vest pocket was the scrapped remains of what had to be a dozen or so sheets of paper. All of them with Sakura's handwriting. When Naruto had discovered the fate of the letters he obviously cherished, his reaction was another thing that worried Kakashi. The blonde just smiled. He wrote it off, as if nothing at all had happened.

Since then, he had tried a few times, without success, to ask Naruto what was bothering him. To which he would always get the same big smile, and loud, excited reassurances. Of course, it didn't take a genius like Kakashi to figure out what was bothering him. The boy was obviously still fawning over Sakura, not letting go of that crush of his.

Yet, somehow Kakashi couldn't help but think that something changed in their relationship before Sakura left to Suna. He didn't know when, he didn't know how, but somewhere along the line, the feelings between them had changed.

Today, Kakashi would find out exactly what was going on in that head of Naruto's. He would get to the bottom of it, without his books to distract him. It might just kill him, but Kakashi really did care for his team. So no matter what happened, he would do what he could.

_First things first_.

_Must find Naruto_.

And knowing Naruto, Kakashi knew that there was only one place the boy could be at 12:15 in the afternoon. With a smile, the jounin put away his copy of Icha Icha Paradise volume 12, and disappeared in a puff of smoke, making his way to Ichikaru's Ramen Stand.

------------------------------------ 12:10 pm, Ichikaru's Ramen Stand

"Hinata-chan? Are you alright?"

"Hmm?"

Hyuuga Hinata tilted her head to the side, smiling brightly at the blonde chuunin next to her. "Sorry, Naruto-kun. I must have gotten lost in thought. What were you saying?"

Naruto stared at the girl next to him, taking the moment of silence between the two to shovel more ramen into his mouth. He slurped it up, watching her expectantly.

Hinata simply continued to smile at him, hoping he would drop it. She was trying her hardest to stay focused on the sound of his excited voice as he recalled a match between himself and Sasuke from a while back, but she couldn't.

As of late, Hinata had noticed that her thoughts were becoming more and more troubled, and try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to think positively. She often found herself thinking about Sakura, and the things that happened before her friend left to Suna.

It really made no sense to Hinata. Sakura had been gone for nearly four months now, and though she missed her friend dearly, she was sure that Sakura was happy where she was. The letters she sent from time to time said as much. That should have been enough…right?

For her it was, but it didn't seem to be enough for Naruto.

She noticed how whenever Sakura was mentioned, he would quickly smile and change the subject. She noticed how happy he acted the past few months now, and while others assumed it was because of his dream being realized, Hinata knew better. She knew he was trying his hardest to convince people he was happy. He would joke around with Tsunade, laugh with Kiba, smile at Hinata, but the biggest front he put up was for Sakura.

Hinata had found him sitting under a tree one afternoon, writing a letter. He told her he was writing to Sakura, but having a hard time because he was '_running out of things to say'_. Of course, she knew him well enough to hear the truth. That he was running out of _happy_ things to say. That he was tired of pretending everything was alright.

From the letters Hinata got from her friend, she understood that Naruto was pretending as if all was well. Sakura was even under the impression that the blonde was better off with her in Suna. None of it made any sense to the Hyuuga.

_Even so far apart, they worry so much for each other_…

_He acts happy so she won't worry._

_I know there is more to her leaving that what she says._

_It simply doesn't add up_.

She may not have been a genius like her cousin Neji, but Hinata was confident in her intelligence. She knew Naruto had feelings for Sakura, and had thought for a moment there that Sakura felt the same. Yet, despite what she may have thought about their relationship, nothing had happened between the two. Sakura left to Suna, and had given Hinata her full blessings.

Hinata knew she should be happy. Finally, she could help Naruto see that she had been waiting for him the whole time. She could be there for him, be everything he wanted and needed. She could make him smile again…

Those thoughts, along with so many others, had been circling through Hinata's head since Sakura left. An endless loop of things she could and should do for Naruto, countless ways she could help him. Though, as much as she hated seeing him in pain, it was the undeniable truth of the situation that hurt the most.

She wasn't the one he wanted…needed.

She couldn't make him smile again.

It was Sakura. No matter what, it would always be Sakura. Hinata knew this. For a moment there, she allowed herself to think he was coming around, that he had given up on his childhood crush and that everything was finally working in her favor. Then the party happened. And once that door opened, the truth was laid out for Hinata to see.

While the truth of Naruto's feelings was now clearer than ever, something was bothering Hinata. That day four months ago, Sakura said that what Hinata saw was a mistake. That it never should have happened, and that she was sorry. Hinata didn't doubt the truth of her words, she could tell Sakura was truly sorry.

_But…for what? _

_For almost kissing Naruto…_

_Or for almost kissing Naruto when she was aware f my feelings for him? _

That thought had been bothering Hinata more than anything else. That, along with one unanswered question, a question that desperately needed answering.

'_Do you love him?'_

Hinata wanted an answer, an honest one. And knew of only one person who could help her get it. Pushing her bowl of ramen away, she offered her apologies to Naruto and made her way to the Hokage's office. If there was one person who could help, it was the Godaime.

------------------------------------ The Hokage's office, 12:23 pm

Tsunade loved noon. The time of day that was usually warm, peaceful, and quiet. It was around lunch that the brat always left her office to get his ramen fix. The Godaime treasured these moments, since it meant she wouldn't have to deal with his complaining, whining, and pestering for as long as he could stuff his face.

_Yes, noon certainly is a wonderful time of day._

_Free of interruptions and-_

Then, her door was opened.

"Hokage-sama? Someone is here to see you."

_Damnit_.

One of these days, Tsunade would make it a rule that nobody could disturb her while Naruto was gone. In fact, it would be a law punishable by death. Perhaps the person who had disturbed her today would be the first victim.

"Let them in." Tsunade ordered through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The ANBU closed her door, walking in the direction of the hall where visitors usually waited to be seen.

_Please let it not be Gai, please let it not be Gai, please let it not be Gai_…

As the large doors opened, Tsunade closed her eyes, preparing herself for the worst. She slowly let out a deep breath upon seeing the young chuunin known as Hyuuga Hinata step inside her office, and bow deeply.

_Thank god_.

"Hokage-sama, I'm so sorry for intruding. I would have made an appointment, but I was hoping to-"

"Relax, Hinata." Tsunade cut in, raising one hand from it's resting place on her desk. "As you can see, I wasn't exactly busy. Please, take a seat."

"Oh - alright then. Thank you, Hokage-sama." With another bow, Hinata sat down in a chair that faced the Hokage's desk. Once she was settled, Tsunade began to speak.

"So, what did you want to see me about?" Tsunade asked, smiling kindly at the young woman sitting across from her. She had always liked her, the Hyuuga was kind and mature for her age. The only drawback was that she was still hopelessly in love with Naruto. Which was unfortunate, since the moron seemed to have his heart set on one girl since day one.

"It's about Naruto."

An exasperated sigh. "What has the idiot done this time?"

"Oh, he hasn't done anything." Hinata quickly answered, shaking her head from side to side. After a moment she looked into her hands, biting her lip nervously. "Actually…um, I was worried about him."

"Worried? Is something wrong?" Tsunade asked, curiosity and a hint of fear laced into her voice. She was highly doubtful that anything huge could have happened, but one could never be too sure when Naruto was involved. Trouble and disaster seemed to follow the kid around.

"No - well, yes, or rather - I don't know. It's very complicated, Tsunade-sama."

"Hmm." Tsunade closed her eyes, thinking for a moment. She wasn't sure if she was mentally ready to help in what appeared to be some sort of teenage drama. In any other case, she might have written off Hinata's worries, and told the girl to discuss it with him.

As it was, the situation was more complicated then that.

Tsunade was also worried about the boy, and couldn't help but feel that the Hyuuga could possibly shed some light on the situation. Lately, trying to figure out the blonde's actions had resulted in two major headaches, one of which refused to go away even with light chakra treatments. Tsunade wanted nothing more than to be over the entire situation. But of course, Naruto being the future Rokudaime and all, he was currently her responsibility. Meaning, if he screwed everything over in his first week, as the one who trained him, she might be held accountable. And Tsunade would not allow that.

The fact is, Naruto just wasn't himself anymore, and hadn't really been since Sakura left to Suna. He was taking it hard, Tsunade knew, but was showing it in the strangest way. It didn't take her long to learn that he hid his emotions behind a smile. But this…was extreme. Tsunade had a feeling that Hinata had also noticed his extremely 'happy' behavior the past four months, and was as worried as she was.

Tsunade was tired, and desperately wanted to be alone right now, before the blonde made his way back to her office. Besides, the sooner this mess was sorted out the better. So, she decided to lay everything out on the table. After all, Tsunade just wasn't the type to beat around the bush.

"Let me guess," Tsunade began, smiling wryly at the girl sitting before her. "You're in love with Naruto, and you've been worried about his behavior since Sakura left to Suna?"

"I-I Wha- well, I was a bit…y-you see," Hinata sputtered, looking around the Hokage's office nervously. "It's just, he's been.…"

"Relax, Hinata. Everyone knows you've been in love with Naruto for years. In fact, some of the villagers even had bets going. Of course, I put a stop to that."

"Everyone? Bets!" Hinata squeaked, sounding every bit mortified.

"Yeah," Tsunade answered casually, waving her hand dismissively. "Well, it would seem Naruto has yet to figure it out. Of course, the kid never was all that bright, was he?"

"Um…I wouldn't say that, Tsunade-sama. Naruto is very bright…" Hinata trailed off, blushing deeply.

Tsunade stared at the Hyuuga in shock, blinking her eyes once, twice, then three times.

_Love really is blind_.

_What a scary thought_.

Tsunade shook her head slightly, getting back to the matter at hand.

"Right. But that's beside the point. The issue at hand is Naruto's behavior as of late, correct?" Once Hinata nodded, Tsunade continued. "You aren't the only one who's noticed it, Hinata. I'm worried about him as well."

Hinata looked shocked, but also a bit relieved. "Really?"

"Mm-hmm." Tsunade closed her eyes, nodding once. "I assume you've figured out why he's been acting so strange?"

Tsunade's question had the expected reaction from the girl. At once, Hinata seemed to slump slightly, a bit of sadness overtaking the previous expression of surprise on her face.

_Guess that answers my question_.

"Hinata?" Tsunade called out, causing Hinata to jump slightly.

Hinata looked sheepish, then cleared her throat before responding. "Oh, yes. I'm sorry Tsunade-sama. I was just….never mind. And to answer your question, yes I have figured it out. I've known for a long time now. That he -" Tsunade watched as Hinata averted her eyes from the Hokage's face, looking into her hands that were still resting in her lap. "-he's still in love with Sakura."

Tsunade watched the girl for a moment, before smiling sadly, nodding twice in assent. "Hmm" Hinata hummed quietly, letting out a small breath, and shrugged her shoulders a bit, offering her own sad smile in return. The room was filled with tense silence, Tsunade began tapping her fingers idly, not knowing what to say next. So she waited.

After a moment, Hinata began to speak.

"I've always known. I just hoped that now….I don't know, maybe he would see how I feel. Care about me. You know?"

Tsunade felt sorry for the girl. She really did. It seemed that her feelings were so true for Naruto, and the whole time, he was oblivious.

_Naruto, you're such a moron_.

_Poor Hinata_…

_In fact, I pity any girl unfortunate enough to fall in love with someone as clueless as he is_.

"It's not that he doesn't care. The brat cares for you deeply. He's just a bit hung up on Sakura, I fear it'll always be that way. He's got a thick skull, doesn't really see that it's not gonna happen." Tsunade was surprised to see Hinata chewing the inside of her bottom lip, as if she desperately wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if she should. Tsunade creased her brows, waiting not-so-patiently for the girl to say something.

Luckily for Hinata, the Hokage didn't have to wait long.

"There's…something else that has been bothering me lately, Tsunade-sama."

"Ehh?" Tsunade questioned, not sure where the chuunin was going with this.

"It's just - if I were to tell you something, could it stay between us?" Hinata was now licking her lips nervously. Tsunade wondered just what she could need to say so desperately that was obviously meant to be kept quiet.

_And why the hell is she telling me about this_?

_She must want my help.._

_Damn the brats of this village. _

_This soft spot really is killing me_.

_And do I really want to know something so…private?_

"Are you sure you should be telling me this, Hinata? If it's something private, or some secret you were expected to keep, than perhaps you should just keep-"

"No, Tsunade-sama. I need-" Hinata took a deep breath. "- I need to discuss this with you. I think you're the only person who can help. Please."

Tsunade might have reprimanded the girl for interrupting. She might have told her to keep the damn secret and leave her in peace. She might have done a lot of things. That is, if only Hinata wasn't giving her a pleading look, her eyes begging the Hokage to understand. To listen. So, Tsunade decided to do just that.

"Fine. If you're sure, then go ahead and speak. Just make it quick, I'm expecting someone soon. Understood?"

Hinata smiled brightly, her expression was one of relief. Tsunade sighed exasperatedly, nodding for the girl to begin. Once again, she had a strong feeling she would need sake. And lots of it.

_Maybe I'm wrong though._

_Maybe the girl just wants to talk about some teenage secret shared in the chuunin bathrooms_…

"I'll get to the point then," Tsunade sighed in relief. "When we were at the party you threw for Naruto, I caught him and Sakura together, in a room, and it seemed - It seemed that they were about to kiss."

_Maybe not_.

"Ok," Tsunade began slowly, stopping the girl before she could go any further. Somehow, she could tell she was missing something crucial. And it pissed her off. "Lets just start from the beginning, shall we?"

"Um…what about your visitor?"

"It can wait."

"Are you-"

"Yes!" Tsunade's tone was clipped, her words sharp. She felt a bit guilty after hearing the small intake of breath from the Hyuuga sitting across from her. So she took a deep calming breath, and continued. "It can wait, believe me. Just start from the beginning. But wait…"

Tsunade lifted a hand, slowly reaching in a drawer in her desk for the bottle of sake and a small glass that she saved for occasions such as these. She noticed Hinata's eyes widen in shock as she saw what the Hokage was doing.

"What is it?" Tsunade grunted, raising one eyebrow in question.

"Oh, nothing. So, should I begin?"

"Hmm. Go ahead."

"Alright…well, it all started when I became a member of team seven."

Tsunade took a sip of sake, getting ready for what seemed to be the start of a long story.

------------------------------------ Meanwhile, at Ichikaru's ramen

"Yo."

Kakashi watched the blonde jump in surprise, almost choking on the ramen in his mouth. It was too easy. He couldn't help masking his chakra from time to time in order to get a true reaction out of the kyuubi-holder. Those certainly were rare these days.

"Kakashi…what…doing…here..?" Naruto gasped between coughs, spitting some of the food in his mouth everywhere.

"Ahh. You shouldn't speak with your mouth full Naruto. Anyways, how are you feeling today?"

"Huh?" Naruto had quickly recovered from his previous coughing fit. "Oh, I'm good!" He answered excitedly.

_The acting comes back. Wonderful_.

"That's nice. So, what are we having today, hmm?"

"Well…I _was_ having pork ramen. It's kinda been destroyed by the choking thing, doesn't look that good anymore. No big deal though, eh?"

"Why, we're awfully forgiving today, aren't we?" Kakashi asked casually, moving to sit in the stool next to Naruto.

"What? I'm always forgiving!" Naruto shouted excitedly, beaming at Kakashi. "Just - try not to sneak up on people so much."

"It's just an old habit of mine. I'll try, though." Kakashi answered, his eyes curving up as a sign of a bright smile.

"Heh, that's good then. Well, what's going on with you?"

_This is getting creepy._

_Naruto making idle chitchat. _

_Not normal_.

"Me?" Kakashi questioned. Naruto nodded once, turning to order more ramen. "Well, nothing really. I've sworn off Icha Icha Paradise for a day…"

"Really? That's good."

Kakashi sighed deeply. He was used to how distracted the boy was as of late, but it didn't make dealing with it any easier. He missed the loud, hyperactive unpredictable ninja. He missed the old Naruto.

"Naruto, is something wrong?"

"What, with me? Why do you ask?" Kakashi shrugged. "Well, I'm perfectly fine. After all, I'm gonna be Hokage in like two months!" Naruto whooped excitedly, taking a long slurp of his newly arrived bowl of ramen.

"So you're okay?"

Naruto nodded brightly, taking another huge amount of ramen into his mouth. Kakashi simply stared. After a few more seconds, the boy was already on his last noodles.

_I'll never get used to that._

"Have everything you need?"

Another nod, and Naruto ordered more ramen.

"Training going well?"

"Yup, as always! Tsunade-baba really is working me hard lately, but I guess it's a good thing, since-"

_Enough_.

"You miss her, don't you?"

Silence.

Kakashi could feel the tension in the air. He knew he had struck a chord in the boy, and silently waited for him to say something. What was only a few seconds seemed like minutes as he waited, hoping that Naruto would finally open up to him.

"Tsunade-baba?" Naruto questioned. "Err…well, not exactly. I mean, I was just in her office earlier, and she hit me again! It's all she does-"

"You know who I'm talking about, Naruto. Don't play stupid, it's insulting to both of us. I'm talking about your best friend. The one in Suna. Remember?"

Naruto continued to smile brightly, seemingly unfazed.

"Ooh, you meant Sakura-chan?"

Kakashi looked over at the blonde sitting next to him. "Mm."

"Heh, well I guess. But she's happy over there, right?"

"And what about you?"

Naruto's smile seemed to almost falter for a moment, before the boy caught himself. "What about me?"

"Are you happy, Naruto?"

Kakashi knew the answer to this question, but felt that getting Naruto to say it was a step in the right direction. It wouldn't be easy, but once the façade came down, perhaps he could actually help the blonde with his problem. Of course, that was all easier said than done.

Especially when it's Uzumaki Naruto you're dealing with. The kid had been putting up a façade for the past sixteen years, and had perfected it. Only few people could see through it. And it didn't look like Naruto was going to let it down without a fight.

"Didn't I already answer this question? Aww damnit, I almost forgot. Look, I'm really sorry, but I don't have time for this, I'm supposed to meet the old hag for more training in like-"

_As always, says he's fine and runs away_.

_This is getting ridiculous_.

_And it ends now_.

"Just answer the question. And I want a real answer, damnit! An honest one. Are you, or are you not happy with Sakura gone? Is it alright that she's not here anymore, do you even miss her?"

Kakashi wasn't used to being so aggressive with his former students, but felt that he had no choice. It had become clear that only drastic measures would be sure to work with Naruto. For a moment, the blonde just stared at him in shock, mouth hanging open slightly. After a full minute of silence, he sat back down and had begun to play with the ramen he abandoned a few moments ago. Not eating it, just playing with it. Another sign that he just wasn't alright.

"I tried you know…" Naruto trailed off, a sad smile creeping it's way onto his features.

Kakashi sighed in relief.

_Finally. A real, honest emotion_.

"I tried to keep her here, in Konoha. She just wouldn't stay. She said that she was needed in Suna, that she belonged there. Nothing I said or did made any difference."

"Mm" Kakashi lowered his head in thought. "Yes, women can be stubborn sometimes. It's in their nature. What we have to do is try understanding them. At least, that's what I've learned in my experience."

_Ah, the wonderfully strong iron will of Rika in Icha Icha Paradise, volume 4_...

"Heh, fat chance. You know Tsunade-baba actually gave me a shot at convincing Sakura-chan to stay? At first she says that she doesn't want her to go either. Then, the old bag throws this crap about the good of Konoha being important and peace treaties, and debts and stuff. Then, she tells me to _somehow_ find a way to get Sakura-chan to change her mind, and that she'd pull back the order if I could. Does any of that make any sense to you, Kakashi?"

Kakashi was silent for a moment, thinking through everything Naruto had just said. Since the beginning, he had been under the impression that the Hokage forced Sakura to leave in order to help out with the medic-nin shortage in Suna. It seemed he was wrong.

"So Tsunade-sama…actually told you to convince Sakura to stay?" Kakashi asked in disbelief, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Yep, she didn't want her to go either, I guess. Sakura asked her, and for whatever reason, she agreed. Senile old bag…" Naruto trailing off, grumbling under his breath.

"Huh. Interesting." Kakashi murmured quietly, slowly moving to stand.

"What's interesting? Hey, where are you going?" Naruto watched Kakashi curiously, not moving to stand.

"I have important business to take care of. Sorry about this." Kakashi turned around, waving a hand in the air. "Later."

"But-"

Not waiting for Naruto to finish, Kakashi quickly hopped onto the roof of the nearby store. A split second later, he was jumping rooftop to rooftop, making his way to the Hokage's office.

First things first. He had to pick up his copy of Icha Icha Paradise, volume four before speaking with the Hokage. He simply couldn't wait any longer.

_Guess I didn't make it the whole day after all_…

And Kakashi had never been so happy to fail.

------------------------------------ 20 minutes later, in the Hokage's office

Around her 7th cup or so, Tsunade had gotten rid of the ridiculously small cup she had been using, and was now drinking straight out of the bottle. Her elbows were once again propped up on the table, both hands rubbing her face tiredly. She was trying to let all the details sink in, and was slowly but surely getting a firm grasp on the situation at hand.

"Did you happen to ask her why she was leaving to Suna?" Tsunade asked tiredly.

"Yes. She said it was because she needed a change in her life."

"Right. Did she say anything else about the situation you found them in?"

"No. Only that it was a mistake. She assured me that they were just friends, and that she had no feelings at all for Naruto."

"Hmm. And I take it you believed her?"

Silence.

More silence.

_Looks like I was too blunt again_.

_Damnit. _

_Ah well_.

"W-what do you mean, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade sighed deeply, wishing that someone else, anyone else, could deal with this. It wasn't as if the situation were confusing or anything, it was simply more than she wanted to deal with at the moment. Right about now, a nice soak in the hot springs was looking really good.

In the past 45 minutes, everything that had been going on between the three of them since the night of the party finally seemed to make sense. Why Sakura was leaving to Suna, why they had acted so strangely at the party, the reason Naruto had been so distracted and 'happy' as of late. All of it was finally coming together.

"Hinata, Sakura never answered your question did she?"

A look of understanding automatically came over the dark-haired girl's face. "No…no she didn't."

"Well then, that's your answer. You see, Sakura never really took the time to understand Naruto. She was easily annoyed by him, and often took him at face value. If I'm correct, that day you explained your feelings for Naruto, is the day Sakura began to see him in a new light, so to speak. I may be wrong, but I believe it's possible that she slowly began to develop feelings for him."

"I think - I think I see what you mean. So, you believe she left to Suna….in order to distance herself from Naruto?"

"Hmm. Well, lets say I'm right, and that she did develop feelings for Naruto. Knowing Sakura like I think I do, I'm guessing she felt guilty. Going to Suna would make everything right. Naruto would eventually get over her, and you two would be free to have a relationship without her getting in the way. Sakura is also a rather noble girl, and felt obligated to fulfill her promise to you. Well, that's what I think anyways."

Hinata's brows were furrowed in concentration, she was absently twiddling her fingers in her lap. Tsunade idly wondered if it helped the girl think, and if she even knew she was doing it in the first place. Her thought were disturbed however, by the unsure voice of Hinata.

"Then, Sakura left…so Naruto could be happy?"

"Stupid, I know." Tsunade grunted, taking another drink of sake.

Hinata continued, as if not hearing Tsunade. "And Naruto, he tells her everything is fine in his letters, that he's happy and doing alright, even though he's obviously unhappy."

Tsunade sighed. "Again, stupid."

"So…" Hinata began, sounding unsure. "They're both unhappy, and pretending to be happy-"

"In order for the other to be happy. It would seem so."

"Wow." Hinata looked and sounded completely in awe of the situation.

"Yes. They're both idiots if you ask me."

The room was silent, and for a moment Tsunade considered asking Hinata if she was finished. The girl was obviously deep in thought, and still had more to say, but the silence was bothering Tsunade. She was hoping to put all of this behind her, maybe soak in the hot springs for a good few hours. She deserved it, after all.

Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. At that moment, a certain copy-nin had silently appeared in a puff of smoke, on the far side of her office.

"Yo."

Tsunade could have laughed at the way Hinata squeaked in fear, jumping out of her seat to face the 'intruder' otherwise known as Hatake Kakashi. That is, she would have if she weren't so fed up and royally pissed at the moment.

"Kakashi, why is it that you still refuse to enter my office through the door?"

"Oh, sorry about that Hokage-sama. I just needed to speak to you immediately, but I see you're busy…Hinata, is that you?"

"Ehh? Yes, Kakashi-sensei. I'm sorry about overreacting, you caught me off guard is all." Tsunade noticed that the girl was out of breath, obviously still a bit shaken up over his sudden appearance.

Tsunade tsked in annoyance. "You might want to stop sneaking up on people, it isn't taken lightly in a village full of ninja."

"Yes, I know." Kakashi closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly, before turning to smile at Hinata. "Sorry for scaring you with my sudden entrance. I guess it's just an old habit of mine. I'll try to use the door in the future, alright?"

Hinata smiled warmly, nodding once.

"So, should I come back later, Hokage-sama?"

"I'm not sure. Hinata, are we finished here?" Tsunade waited as the Hyuuga seemed to think it through for a moment. It didn't take long for Hinata to smile, and mention that she just remembered she had places to be. Tsunade dismissed her, and once the door was closed behind the girl, Kakashi leaned on her desk purposefully.

"I spoke with Naruto. He was finally honest. It was…enlightening to say the least."

It was with that, Tsunade realized that she wouldn't get to soak in the hot springs today after all.

_Life just isn't fair sometimes…_

------------------------------------2 days later

Tsunade was in her office, waiting patiently for the representative from sand to arrive. She had sent for her two days ago, and had been eagerly awaiting her arrival. That day in her office, she and Kakashi were able to discuss the situation with Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura for a good half-hour or so before Naruto came barging in, demanding to be trained. Of course, she had kicked him out, and talked with Kakashi for a good couple of hours.

Together, they had come to a solution, one that they both hoped, for the sake of Konoha, would work. There was still one thing that had to be taken care of, and it was something Tsunade was not looking forward to. While she was well aware that it wasn't the smartest thing to do, she knew it had to be done. Both Sakura and Naruto needed this, no matter what they thought.

And with the Hokage ceremony set to take place in two month's time, it couldn't be more perfect. This gives Suna enough time to make preparations, just in case. Once Sakura is in Konoha, she'll have to see Naruto, since she won't have any choice but to attend the ceremony.

_It's perfect_.

And if either of them pretends not to care about the other, well, Tsunade will simply beat some honesty into them. It had worked just fine for her in the past, she had no reason to believe it would fail her now.

As she continued to think about the situation at hand, a knock signaled the arrival of the blonde jounin from Suna, the Kazekage's sister Temari.

"Bring her in." Tsunade called out. After a moment, her doors opened, the tall slim form of Temari entered slowly, allowing the ANBU on the other side of the door to gently close the door behind her.

With a deep bow, the young sand shinobi began to speak.

"Hokage-sama, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes. Please, take a seat."

Nodding once, Temari moved closer, sitting in the chair opposite the Godaime on the other side of the large desk.

"May I ask what this is about, Hokage-sama? Should Suna be worried?"

"Worried?" Tsunade snorted lightly, earning herself a puzzled look from Temari. "No, I wouldn't say so. First things first, what we are about to discuss must not reach Sakura. Understood?"

Temari looked as if she wanted to ask why, but seemed to think better of it.

"Of course, you have my word." Temari answered honestly, making Tsunade smile slightly.

"Good. Then I have a favor to ask of your Kazekage."

"A favor?"

* * *

A/N: Can we all guess what the favor is? I'm pretty sure I'm gonna start the next chapter from the trip to Konoha from Suna. No more time skips or jump-backs or anything, lol. 

Thanks for all of your guys' input and ideas for this chapter, it was a huge help! I decided to go with a bit of everything, and hopefully I covered all of the bases. Knowing me, there is still a huge plot hole I managed to leave.

Comments, ideas, constructive criticism, questions, concerns, and idle worship (just kidding!) are all welcome in reviews! Thanks for all of the reviews you've given me so far - is 300 a possibility? Well, I'm not even gonna think about that for now! 275 is already about 274 more than I expected!

Chapter 18 - Should be up sooner than this one was! If you really want to know the status, feel free to check my profile page, which I update from time to time. Thanks so much for reading!

BTW: Who else thinks Kingdom Hearts 2 is gonna kick ass? I wonder…with Auron in it, is there any way possible that it _won't_ kick ass?

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	18. Dangerous Tempers

A/N: I'm sooo sorry everyone! You see, there are a few reasons why this took longer than planned! I had zero inspiration, my comp is a jerk, life sucks, and Grandia III is extremely addictive. I decided to write a filler-type chapter, something not too heavy on the drama, a sort of calm before the storm type thing. Sorry for the OOCness, just a warning.

By the way…315 reviews…I can't believe it…I refuse to! (runs away screaming) Thanks SO much for the reviews, everyone! You brighten up my day, all of you. Thank you for all of the support you show me, it's the best motivation in the world.

**About the chapter**: This chapter takes place about two months after the last one ended. In other words, it takes place shortly after Gaara spoke with Sakura in his office. You may have noticed he wrote something on a paper while speaking with Sakura. Something short, like a signature perhaps?

Well, I really hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Who decided to make a damn BRAT the Kazekage anyways?"

"Well, I believe it was-" Shizune stopped mid-sentence upon seeing the glare she was receiving from her Hokage. She was not one to be tested lately.

After a moment Tsunade sighed, slumping in her chair and sulking miserably.

"Just look at me," Tsunade scoffed, shaking her head in dismay. "look at the moron I've appointed as the next Hokage of Konoha. The world is slowly but surely going to hell."

Shizune stifled a giggle, not wanting to incur the wrath of Tsunade. Not today at least.

"Tsunade-sama, you and I both know that Naruto-kun is very capable of handling that responsibility. And about the Kazekage…well, you shouldn't worry about it. I'm sure he'll respond soon enough."

"Shizune, perhaps you don't know what type of schedule we're working with here." Tsunade stood, pulling herself to her full height. She pulled up three slender fingers, looking Shizune in the eyes. "We have three, count them, _three_ days until the ceremony. Naruto is still being a dumb ass, the Kazekage has yet to respond, and I'm - OUT. OF. SAKE!" The Hokage bellowed, slamming her fist down on the desk, making a gaping hole in the process.

Shizune winced, chewing on her lip as she fell into deep thought. She had no idea what to do, and things were getting intense around Konoha as of late. It had been around 2 months since Tsunade had asked a favor of the Kazekage, and his only response since then was his quick reply, in which he didn't agree or deny Tsunade's request for a favor. In fact, the letter only said that he had received her message and would 'look into it'.

And Tsunade had thrown her chair through a window.

Again.

Shizune could tell that the Hokage was losing what little patience she had left, and was starting to wonder about the situation in Suna herself. She knew it was stressing Tsunade out, and wanted to help, but there was simply no way. Not until the Kazekage gave a reply. A real reply, at least.

"I swear, if that kid says no, I will punch a fist through that damn sand barrier and beat him to a bloody pulp!" Tsunade growled, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"Tsunade-sama! You can't injure the Kazekage!" Shizune scolded, putting both of her hands on her waist. She was standing in front on the Hokage's desk, giving Tsunade a severe look.

"I'll do whatever I damn well please. Besides, it's not like the kid doesn't have it coming. Overconfident, and absolutely zero respect for his elders!" Tsunade was now tapping her foot on the hardwood floor, the heel clinking each time, making a sort of nervous rhythm echo throughout the room. "A swift beating might do him some good, you know. If I remember correctly, he responds well to beatings…" her eyes glittered dangerously for a moment, making Shizune shudder in fear.

"B-but, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune gasped, "Think of the treaties!"

"Treaties my ass!"

"Surely you don't mean-" Shizune wasn't able to finish, as she was interrupted by a small tapping sound. The two women stared blankly at each other for a split second, until the sound returned.

Tap, tap, tap.

Tsunade quickly whipped her head around, looking in the direction of the far window in the back of her office. Shizune had also directed her attention towards the noise, squinting slightly.

"Is that a….vulture?"

"Mm-hmm." Shizune agreed, stepping over the window and opening it, noticing something attached to the bird's talon with a small chakra rope. She tried releasing it, but failed repeatedly. For some reason, the rope wasn't responding to her. A few more tries had her grunting in frustration.

"What is it?" Tsunade asked, walking over to the window.

"It's a…letter of some sort. But it won't come off, it's tied with some sort of chakra."

"Ahh, I understand. Move aside, Shizune." Tsunade ordered, stepping beside her student.

"Of course, Tsunade-sama." Shizune quickly moved aside, allowing the Godaime to take her place. At once, the letter came free. Shizune felt a bit stupid at the moment, and decided to blame it on the stress. "I see. It was set only to respond to your chakra?"

"Yes. Seems like the brat knows how much is riding on the success of this plan." Tsunade smirked, striding over to her desk. She sat down, immediately opening the note.

Shizune walked over cautiously, hoping with ever fiber of her being that the Kazekage agreed. If he didn't, she would have to be the one trying to calm Tsunade down - for everyone's sake. She was relieved, since this meant the waiting was probably over. On the other hand, if his response was an unfavorable one, she knew the backlash the world would receive from one angry Godaime. The mere thought of it made Shizune cringe.

Sitting down across from Tsunade, Shizune nervously brought both hands into her lap, watching her closely. She didn't miss the small frown, the narrowed eyes, the almost silent "hmph" or the raising of eyebrows. The suspense was killing her, and for some reason, the Hokage had yet to say an actual word. Judging from the sudden calm demeanor of Tsunade, one of two things could be happening.

Either the Kazekage said yes, and Tsunade was extremely relieved, finally allowing herself to calm down.

Or, and Shizune prayed it wasn't this, the Kazekage had said no, and this was simply the calm before the apocalyptic storm.

A few more moments went by, and Tsunade continued to stare at the letter. Shizune could tell that she was no longer reading it, but thinking deeply about something. Whether it be about celebrations or death, she didn't know. So she waited, hoping the Hokage would share the contents of the letter, since she was not about to test the other woman in any way.

Nope…_especially_ not today.

Finally, the letter was put down in front of her. Tsunade leaned back, closing her eyes, and slumping into her chair. Wasting no time at all, Shizune quickly grabbed the letter, greedily raking her eyes over the slightly crumpled piece of paper.

"_Hokage-sama,_

_My sister Temari, who has formed a friendship with Haruno-san, has been watching her closely for the past two months, monitoring her actions and has lately expressed her own concern over the well being of your former student. We have noticed her behavior to be slightly odd, and I am almost positive that your assumptions were correct. However, I could not be completely sure until I spoke to her myself, which I decided to do today. _

_After speaking to her, I will be too busy to write this letter, so I am writing it before hand. Do not worry, I will not send it unless I have decided on taking part in this plan of yours. Consider my signature a yes to your question. _

_Sabaku no Gaara,_

_Kazekage of Sunakagure_"

Shizune blinked at the letter for a moment, letting relief wash over her.

_Thank goodness. _

_Another disaster, avoided_.

Taking a deep breath, she folded the letter, placing it in front of Tsunade. A few moments of silence passed as Shizune watched her, she could only imagine the relief that the woman must have been feeling. After all, she was feeling it too. Maybe for different reasons, though. Not to suggest that Shizune wasn't excited about the plan as well, because she was. But at the moment, she found herself too busy being glad that she escaped with her life to be excited over anything else. Taking a swift bow, Shizune moved to leave the room when the stern voice of Tsunade rang through the otherwise silent room.

"Shizune."

The young woman quickly turned around, immediately noticing how the Hokage's posture had changed. She was now sitting up with both of her elbows resting on her desk. Polished, slender fingers were intertwined, serving as a support for her chin. A small smirk played over her features, and Shizune noticed with a inward sigh that Tsunade was finally out of her 'extremely dangerous bad mood'. This was the 'mildly dangerous mood'.

This was the Tsunade that she was comfortable with. Strong, willful, commanding, and just a tiny bit sadistic.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama, what is it?" She asked, taking a few tentative steps towards the Hokage's desk, stopping when she was in the middle of the room.

"How do you think the brat will react to the Kazekage's news?" Tsunade's words were dripping with amusement, as she was obviously thoroughly enjoying the current situation.

"Hmm. I wonder." Shizune answered, bowing her head in thought.

Tsunade scoffed lightly, picking the note up between her fingers, and waving it back and forth. Her head was now resting in the palm of her other hand, head tilted slightly as she lazily watched the note with hooded eyes.

"Either way, it's bound to be at least a little entertaining. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I believe dangerous may be the key word here." Shizune replied darkly, still deep in thought. "We never know…what could happen."

Tsunade frowned, releasing the note from her fingers and watching it flutter onto the surface of her desk. Her eyebrows were knit together, a troubling look replacing the previous one of lazy contentedness.

"Damn Naruto." Tsunade grunted, "The idiot has no idea what we go through for him. Hell, look at what we're going through right now for him! Ungrateful brat." Shizune smiled, knowing Tsunade well enough to know that there were no real negative feelings toward the blonde in what she just said. She also knew that the village owed Naruto for many things. If it hadn't been for him, the two of them would never have come to Konoha, and she would never have met all the wonderful people of the village.

_We owe him so much.._

_I wonder...how will he react?_

Knowing Naruto the way she knew him, Shizune was sure the reaction would be big, for lack of a better word. He was still as loud and excited as ever, that is, up until Sakura's departure. Once, she had believed his hyperactivity might be a phase, since he was only thirteen or so when she met him. Yet as time passed she, along with everyone else, had come to see that it wasn't a phase. Naruto was just…Naruto.

She highly doubted that anyone would want him any other way.

That's why this plan had to work.

The others involved, and herself, would make sure it worked.

----------------------------------------------------- _One and a half days later_…

The sun and the moon had to be playing tricks on her. It couldn't possibly be only a day and a half since she left Suna.

It was supposed to be a three day trip to Konoha from Suna. She wasn't supposed to feel slightly sick, and the hours weren't supposed to pass like minutes. It was impossible that they were crossing the borders into fire country, with only half a day's trip to Konoha left to go. There was no way. Time had truly screwed her over, because this couldn't possibly be happening.

And why, oh WHY did Gaara insist on not getting rest? What was wrong with the guy? Sure, he couldn't sleep, and his sister and brother seemed to be used to it by now, but what about her? She needed sleep, it was a necessity. When she saw Naruto again, she had to look happy and rested, not grouchy and baggy-eyed. It wouldn't work, things wouldn't go according to plan.

_Maybe I just want to delay the inevitable_.

Of course, Sakura knew better than to complain to Gaara. The guy showed less expressions than a tea cup, and no matter what, made you feel like you were bothering him. Even when he called you to his office, you felt like you didn't belong there. Something about his demeanor, his presence, just made you feel…inadequate. And yeah, that was putting it lightly.

Not to mention that the guy only had to clench his fist to kill you and make a pretty red sandcastle in the blink of an eye. He wouldn't, but the fact that he _could_ if he wanted to was unnerving enough.

"You're scared." Temari's deep voice brought Sakura out of her thoughts, making her jump slightly as the four of them walked through the forest.

"Ehh?" Sakura squeaked, clutching her chest in shock and breathing deeply. "Of what?" She rasped.

Temari grinned knowingly, falling into step beside her friend.

"You're scared of seeing Uzumaki again, huh?"

"Wha - but- t-that's insane, Temari!" Sakura sputtered, glaring at the girl walking beside her. "Why would I be afraid of seeing my best friend? Unbelievable.." Keeping her eyes on the path ahead, Sakura shook her head slightly with a small huff of indignation.

"Hmm."

Sakura saw Temari watching her out of the corner of her eye, as if she was waiting for her to crack. The pink-haired jounin found herself getting a bit nervous, her first instinct was to bite her lip, but she resisted. That's exactly what Temari was looking for. Some sort of reaction.

A few moments went by as the four of them continued through the forest. Gaara was at the head of the group, walking at a brisk pace with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Kankuro was a few steps behind him, keeping an eye out for possible threats. Sakura knew nothing would touch them with Gaara around, but also knew that one could never be too safe. That's just the way shinobi live, always on their guard. Sakura and Temari brought up the rear, walking a small distance behind Gaara, side by side.

She and the Sand kunoichi had become close friends quickly, and were at this point used to each others company. But, the past couple of days had been strange…

_And why will she not stop staring_?

"What?" Sakura finally snapped, turning her head to the side to give Temari a questioning look. The other girl scoffed lightly and shook her head.

"Oh, nothing. So, what's on your mind?" Temari casually asked, taking her eyes off Sakura to peer around the nearby trees for any possible threats.

"What makes you think something's on my mind?" Sakura replied in a falsely cheery voice.

Temari once again turned her attention back to Sakura, her expression clearly saying that she wasn't buying it. Sakura quickly turned her head away, pretending to search the surrounding area.

"Hmph. Let's see," Temari crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at the girl walking next to her. "It might be the fact that the closer we get to Konoha the more likely it seems that you're gonna piss your pants."

Sakura whipped her head around and gaped openly at Temari for a moment, before frowning in open disgust.

"Nice," Sakura growled, "but again, nothing's wrong, ok? I just - I don't know, I guess I'm a little nervous about seeing all of my friends again after six months, that's all…" Sakura trailed off.

Smirking, Temari shrugged, picking up the pace a little to walk a few steps in front of Sakura, who merely rolled her eyes, lowering her head to glare at the forest floor. Temari was right. She was scared of seeing Naruto again, and it was ridiculous. But as she continued to walk, she discovered that what scared her most wasn't really his reaction upon seeing her, or what it implied.

No, what scared Sakura most was the fact that she would have to leave him again. Leave Konoha, after finally returning - if only for a day or two. Naruto and Konoha, Konoha and Naruto, they were always connected to one another in all of Sakura's thoughts and memories. You couldn't have one without the other, to her it simply wasn't possible. So returning to Konoha meant returning to him, and eventually having to leave.

Again.

She was once again wrapped up in her thoughts and hadn't noticed Temari fall back into step beside her until it was too late.

"Thinking about him again?"

"Eek! Stop doing that!" Sakura squealed, glaring dangerously at Temari.

The sand kunoichi simply laughed, grinning widely at the angry girl walking beside her.

"You really are one helluva bad ninja when you're thinking about him, you know that?"

Sakura groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose between her fingers. "Are you ever gonna give up, Temari? I mean, can I just have a little time to think?"

"Of course, Sakura-chan!" Sakura threw a dirty look at her in response to the mockingly innocent tone she used. Not to mention the suffix. "Just admit that you're picturing the blonde naked and I'll leave you alone."

Immediately, Kankuro's head whipped around, his expression was one of complete and utter disgust.

Sakura sighed in exasperation, bringing both hands up to gently massage her temples. She was now used to Temari's teasing, a side she never got to see when they were younger. It didn't help that every time the girl had been in Konoha on one of her "Diplomatic Missions" she spent all of her time around the laziest shinobi on earth.

Just then, something clicked in Sakura's mind.

_Wait a second.._

_They don't know_…!

Smiling widely, Sakura cleared her throat, deciding to fight fire with fire.

"Hey, Kankuro," Sakura called, continuing when she saw him turn to look at her, a wary expression on his face. "Can I ask you something?"

He studied her for a moment before nodding, turning his attentions back the forest they were walking through.

"Just so long as it had nothing to with Uzumaki…" Sakura frowned deeply as Kankuro shuddered dramatically, not missing the poorly stifled laugh of Temari, who was walking a few steps behind her now.

Sakura shook it off, adding a small laugh of her own.

"No, no, it has nothing to do with him. Um…actually, do you remember a Konoha Shinobi by the name of Nara Shikamaru?" She could almost hear Temari stiffen as her steps slowed, and allowed herself a brief triumphant smirk.

"Yeah, of course. Laziest good-for-nothing bastard I've ever met. No offense."

"Oh, none taken. He really can be completely useless at times." Sakura cheerily replied. "So you don't like him?"

Kankuro shrugged, tilting his head to the side. "It's not that I don't like him, more like I just don't think about him that often. The guy's a bit annoying. Goes on and on about things being troublesome."

"Ahh. I understand."

"So why do you ask?" He questioned, turning his head to look at Sakura, who was not walking a safe distance in front of Temari.

"Oh, just curious." Sakura grinned, shrugging slightly. "Actually, a friend of mine in Konoha is interested in him. She wanted to know what she should do, but I have no idea what to say." Sakura lied, taking on a fairly distraught tone.

"Hmph." Kankuro turned his head, once again facing away from Sakura. "Your friend has crappy taste. Either that, or she's completely desper-"

"OKAY!" Temari's booming voice cut in, earning a curious glance from Kankuro and a knowing smirk from Sakura. The three stood in place, simply watching each other. Gaara of course continued to walk, unfazed. Sakura wondered if perhaps he already knew about the budding relationship. It wouldn't surprise her.

A moment passed.

Silence.

_I wasn't expecting that big of a reaction.._

Just then. Temari finally seemed to come to her senses, crossing her arms and glaring at the two of them. Her voice was stern, completely calm and intimidating. "Enough love talk, alright? Lets just get to Konoha already."

"Sounds good to me!" Sakura exclaimed, thanking god that her plan had worked. The three of them began to walk again at a brisk pace, trying to catch up to Gaara. Sakura smiled as she heard Temari's exhausted sigh from behind her, knowing that she wouldn't hear anymore about Naruto, at least not on the way there.

"So, uh, Temari?" Kankuro's voice broke the silence, he sounded a bit apprehensive.

"What?" Temari spat through gritted teeth.

"Any reason you exploded just now?"

"Drop it."

"What the hell kind of answer is that?"

"Drop. It."

"Don't tell me you have a thing for-"

"I SAID DROP IT!"

Sakura winced as Kankuro sped up, not even turning back once. Silence returned as the two of them walked side by side, the only sound they could hear were the gentle noises of the surrounding forest, and the crunch of leaves beneath their feet.

After a moment, Sakura heard another tired sigh coming from the girl beside her.

"Brothers." Temari mumbled angrily under her breath. "So troublesome…"

Sakura smiled.

* * *

A/N: So that was it, but don't worry, the next chapter should be one that moves the plot along well. Maybe I've been playing too much Grandia III - the game is a life sucker. I'm THINKING about doing another story after this one. Maybe a TemxShika ficlet? I love that couple!

**ATTENTION**: Losing Naruto NEEDS a pre-reader! Just someone who knows my story well, and who I can send the chapter to ahead of time and get a response within a day. Someone who can read it and has a good eye for pointing out continuity errors, bad characterization, and stuff like that. I know there are lots of grammar mistakes that could use a beta, but for now, I just really need a pre-reader. Thanks!

Chapter 19 - Hmm, expect drama, maybe a tear or two, I'm not sure right now. I know what's gonna happen, but I just have to split it up into a few chapters.


	19. Where her heart is

A/N: It's ALIVE! Hey wonderful readers who I've missed lots and lots! After TWO months without a computer, a week of deadly writers block, and a serious contemplation of taking an extended Losing Naruto break, I'm back with chapter nineteen!

**Thank you SO much to all who have stuck with this story, reviewed, offered to pre-read, added it as a favorite, put it on your alert list, and added it to C2's – each of you bring a huge smile to my face whenever I think of this story. You're all way too sweet!**

Only a few more chapters to go, I hope to reach 400 reviews by the end of the story...but it's like a mind-boggling thought in itself! Very strange. Thanks again for ALL 369 reviews! My readers kick ass!

And SPECIAL thanks to rikki shiratori, who agreed to pre-read for me! Starting the next chapter she'll be helping me out.

Thanks for reading this – now read the super late chapter nineteen, and enjoy!

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Sakura was sure she was going to die. Humans – ninja or not – were not meant to stay awake for two days in a row, without even a break. It was unnatural and wrong. She, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro had been traveling for almost two days now. Sakura had confidence in her stamina, but this was ridiculous. Gaara never even let them sit down for a few minutes. The guy was simply unbelievable. 

That's why Sakura was overjoyed when Gaara announced they could rest for a few hours before finishing their trip to Konoha. Really surprised, but overjoyed all the same. With all that had been going on in her mind, she thought that sleep wouldn't come easy. Luckily, she was too tired even to think before quickly falling asleep into a dreamless slumber.

After waking up feeling completely rested from the full 8 wonderful hours of sleep Gaara had granted them, they made their way to Konoha. Before Sakura knew it, they were standing before the large gates which were protected by two tall, masked ANBU. As the group reached the dimly lit gates they were approached by the men, who immediately bowed deeply in respect.

"Kazekage-sama," The ANBU in a cat mask began, "We were told you would be arriving this afternoon. I apologize, we were meant to have a full ANBU escort for you and your guests."

"Unnecessary." Gaara responded curtly, Sakura could almost see the ANBU flinch despite the mask. There were probably few people that the Kazekage couldn't scare.

"I understand, but even so..." The man bowing before them nervously trailed off, standing straight.

"If you understand, then there should be no problem. I'm sure you know that we can handle ourselves."

A moment of tense silence came over the area; the two ANBU shifted slightly, still standing before the group.

"Now, if you would please step aside."

"Kazekage-sama," The second ANBU calmly began, bowing once more. "I apologize, but it is customary for us to escort-"

"Do you think us incapable of finding the Hokage's office on our own?" Gaara's calm, quiet voice interrupted. It was the very tone that Sakura had come to fear, since it pretty much meant that Gaara was approaching his dangerous 'slightly pissed-off' mode.

The tension was so thick Sakura could almost feel it closing in on them, giving her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She still wasn't used to Gaara's intimidating presence, and doubted she ever would be.

"I will ask you again." There was no mistaking the hint of annoyance in his voice. "Step aside."

Sakura inwardly winced, feeling sorry for the poor men standing before them. Of course, she knew Gaara wouldn't hurt them, at least not anymore. Yet, even knowing that, the prospect of an angry – or even slightly pissed-off Gaara, wasn't a pretty one.

"Y-yes, of course, Kazekage-sama." The second ANBU immediately stood upright. "My apologies. If you insist, please enter."

_Smart move_.

Gaara nodded at the two men, and Sakura felt the tension that was previously building slowly dissipate. The two ANBU quickly moved to open the gates, bowing one more as the group made their way past the large wall that divided the village from the vast forest surrounding it.

_Konoha..._

The first thing Sakura noticed upon passing through the gates of Konoha was the feeling of safety. Even when traveling with the Kazekage himself, she didn't experience the same comfort. She had always felt safest in Konoha, which made sense. This village was a part of her, it was who she was. No matter what happened, Konoha was always there to fall back on. Only now, this place wasn't exactly home anymore.

It used to be part of her...when she was a bit younger.

_When I was a bit happier_.

Now, it almost felt like a worn security blanket. Even on a slightly chilly morning, when the sun had yet to rise, she could feel warmth engulf her entire being. She was surrounded by it. All it took was an instant, and she felt as if she had never left.

All of the lights in the sleeping hidden village were out, making the dark sky shine with brilliance that Sakura couldn't remember seeing for years, even though it had really only been months. She missed the Konoha sky, it was different somehow from every other sky.

Standing there, looking over her home village was a sort of escape for her. In the back of her mind, she was well aware of the problems she was bound to face. But those could wait for later. For now, she was home. That was enough.

_The village hasn't changed._

_It's still so beautiful, still so very peaceful._

_Are you happy...Naruto?_

"Sakura!" A deep female voice rang through the pink-haired girl's head, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Sakura blinked a few times, mentally shaking her head. Coming to her senses, she noticed that Temari and Kankuro were giving her matching worried looks, while even Gaara was watching her out of the corner of his eyes. Temari seemed to relax a bit, her expression changing from worried to questioning.

"Are you alright?"

"Wha-" Sakura cleared her throat. "What- um, what do you mean?"

The blonde released an exasperated sigh. "Well, once we stepped foot in Konoha you completely shut down. Dumb-ass here even tried poking you-"

Kankuro grunted angrily. "What was that?"

"-but nothing worked." Temari continued as if she wasn't interrupted. Her tone then suddenly changed to a playful one. "So, what were you dreaming about...hmm?"

Sakura rolled her eyes at Temari's suggestive tone.

"I wasn't dreaming, I was- I was lost in thought." Sakura finished quickly, "And it's not what you think!" she added upon noticing a sly smirk come over Temari's face.

"Aren't we defensive, hmm? Could it be-"

"So," Sakura interrupted loudly, not giving Temari a chance to finish. "Kazekage-sama, may I ask where we're headed first?"

Gaara was now sanding a good ten feet ahead of the group, his back facing them. Once he was addressed by Sakura he turned his head a bit, giving the three of them a side view of his expressionless face.

For a moment, he didn't answer, making Sakura wonder if maybe she asked something she wasn't supposed to. His eyes were trained on her, as if he were trying to figure something out. After a few moments he closed his eyes, facing away from them once again.

"I am going to the Hokage's office to discuss things." Gaara's voice cut through the silence, the three accompanying him listened closely. "You may do whatever you wish."

Sakura inwardly sighed, smiling kindly at Gaara's back. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama."

_YES!_

_That means I can go to my parents' house, and stay in my room until the ceremony._

_Then, when it's over, I'll make my exit._

_I am a ninja after all; it shouldn't be that hard to avoid him._

_What a relief..._

"That is," Gaara began, as calm as ever. Sakura's face fell, she was now watching him in horror, hoping against hope that he wasn't about to say what she thought he might say. He turned his head to the side once more, that triumphant smirk from his office was back in place.

"Of course, after-"

_No..._

"You visit-"

_Please don't say it_...

"Naruto." Gaara finished.

_Damnit_.

"Kazekage-sama, are you sure that's-" Sakura began in a weak voice, taking a step towards the now retreating Gaara.

"I'll be leaving now." He interrupted calmly. Sakura's slumping form helplessly watched him leave, her mouth hanging open. "Temari, accompany Sakura today."

"Got it." The blonde replied, smiling at the pink-haired Jounin, who was still watching Gaara with a miserable expression.

"Hey, bro" Kankuro yelled out into the early morning air. "What about me?"

Gaara continued to walk at a slow pace, arms crossed. "No spars." Was the bored answer, before he disappeared in a whirl of sand.

"Damnit..." Kankuro cursed, growled angrily. "How the hell did he know I was gonna challenge that mutt Inuzuka?"

"You can find something to do until tonight that doesn't involve fighting, I'm sure." Temari grunted, "We'll be staying at the same rooms as last time, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

Kankuro continued to grumble to himself as he walked away, leaving only the two women standing inside the gates of Konoha. Sakura briefly wondered why they were still just standing there, but quickly decided she didn't care. What she wanted to do more than anything right now was delay the inevitable. She absentmindedly wished that just for today, time would stop. If only for today, the sun wouldn't come up, everything might be ok. Sakura had no doubt that once the day began, and the village awoke, she would be faced with everything, and everyone she ran away from.

_Naruto..._

_Why does seeing you again have to hurt so much...?_

Sakura felt a slight stinging sensation behind her eyes and frowned, lowering her head so that a single tear could drop. She watched, transfixed as the moisture was absorbed into the dirt road. Taking a deep breath, she swept her foot over the damp spot, mixing it in with the dirt, until no evidence of her weakness remained. It wouldn't do, she had to be strong this time.

"You alright?" Temari questioned as Sakura lifted her head back to the early morning sky. A nod was her only response.

Sakura could see the faint signs of the coming morning, and sighed deeply as the stars slowly began to fade. The air itself took on that special Konoha scent she missed each and every morning that she woke up in Suna.

Temari released her own deep sigh, readjusting her fan before addressing Sakura in a light tone. "Well, guess we gotta go. You ready?"

"Hmm," the pink-haired Jounin nodded in assent. "Just, a little longer, ok?"

Temari's brows furrowed, but she agreed, giving Sakura some space. Minutes of silence stretched out between them, Sakura saying nothing and Temari asking nothing. After a while all that could be heard was the gentle chirping of birds as the sky slowly brightened, illuminating the village in a pale golden light.

_It's almost as if it's glowing..._

_I wonder if he's awake._

_I wonder if... Hinata is with him._

"This is going to be difficult. Isn't it?" The pink-haired Jounin asked, the question directed at nobody in particular.

"It doesn't have to be." Temari answered seriously after a moment. "You can still-"

"No." Sakura interrupted "Things are fine as they are."

"I can see that."

Sakura turned to Temari who was now standing beside her, watching her with a serious look. Sakura knew that what Temari meant by that statement was true, but wasn't about to admit it to her friend. The simple truth was, Naruto and Hinata may be happy now, but Sakura still couldn't let go of him. On top of that, being here now, faced with the choices she made was only making things harder. She had no choice but to deal with it.

The two of them stood in a thoughtful silence, their gazes now directed at the village before them. The sun had yet to rise completely, but already the village was showing its first signs of life. Sakura took a deep breath, readying herself for the day ahead.

"Alright, let's go."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine."

"Good, because I'm freezing my ass off out here."

Sakura laughed, feeling a small amount of the weight in her chest disappear. Temari usually had that effect on her.

"It really isn't that cold. You're exaggerating."

"I'm from the desert!" Temari exclaimed, taking the first steps towards the village, Sakura walking at her side. "I mean, I haven't even been here at this time of day since..." the blonde trailed off, turning her head the side as if to look at the shops they were passing.

_Shikamaru..._

_That's right._

_I was too wrapped up in my own problems._

_I'm so stupid._

"I'm sure he's fine." Sakura assured her friend, putting a hand on her shoulder as they stepped into the village, passing a few early risers as they walked.

"He's smart," Sakura continued. "You don't have to worry about him."

After a moment Temari laughed lightly, shaking off Sakura's arm in a playful manner.

"Worried?" The blonde jounin scoffed, "I'm not worried about that lazy ass. Annoying geniuses like him don't die easily, I know that much by experience."

Sakura laughed, knowing that somewhere in there, mixed in with the sarcasm and harshness, was a 'thank you'.

_You're welcome_.

--------------------------------------

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Tsunade-sama?"

The Godaime groaned, burying her head deeper into the arms that were folded on her desk, wanting nothing more then to return to the wonderful dream she was having before being rudely awoken by a certain student. It really was an amazing dream, and she had just gotten to the good part, too.

_Ah yes..._

_I was soaking in a peaceful hot spring._

_Sake was everywhere._

_Oh and the scent of-_

"Tsunade-sama," Tsunade's thoughts of hot springs and sake were rudely interrupted by Shizune's persistent voice coming through the door, along with more knocking. "The Kazekage is here. Are you-"

"YES, damnit, I'm ready!" Tsunade bellowed, rubbing her temples with her fingertips. She grumbled under her breath, continuing in a undertone "It's never too early to deal with a pretentious brat...as if Naruto isn't enough..."

_Right on time._

_Figures._

After a moment Tsunade could hear someone approaching, meaning that Shizune was about to enter with the Kazekage. The sun was barely beginning to rise, yet you couldn't tell from being in the Hokage's office. All of the curtains were drawn low, with not a single light on in the room, making Tsunade even more bitter about not being able to sleep in.

_I should have slept in a bed last night._

_Stupid nerves._

_And the ceremony is tonight._

_One more day of this crap..._

"Wha- Wha...!" A loud sputtering shattered the silence of Tsunade's office, signaling the entrance of a flustered and panicked Shizune. Within moments, the lights from several different lamps were illuminating the room, making Tsunade squint reflexively. "What is this? Tsunade-sama, what IS this?"

"It _was_ me sleeping...or trying."

"That's not what I meant!" The younger woman chided exasperatedly, "You told me to send the Kazekage in, and luckily I had enough sense to make sure the room was presentable first." Shizune bustled to the windows, pulling the long curtains aside. "This is reckless of you, Tsunade-sama. What will the Kazekage think? You know how this reflects-"

_Too...damn...early._

Tsunade raised a hand in the air, glaring at Shizune, who stopped speaking mid-tirade and straightened up, calming herself a bit.

"Just." Tsunade began, her voice was dangerously calm. "Send. Him. In."

Shizune sighed deeply, putting both hands on her waist, fixing the Godaime with a disapproving look. After a moment the younger woman appeared to give up, relieving Tsunade to no end.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Shizune sighed, bowing deeply "Although, in the future, please make sure you-"

"NOW, SHIZUNE!" The older blonde woman bellowed, effectively striking fear into her student, along with two ANBU stationed outside of her office. Again, ANBU are not easily frightened people.

"Y-yes, of course...Tsunade-sama" Shizune quickly exited the room, a moment later returning with none other than the ever-serious Kazekage of Sunagakure himself.

--------------------------------------

It was in the late morning that Sakura and Temari found themselved walking out of the Haruno house, having eaten, gotten refreshed, and visited Sakura's parents. Now, they were making their way to their next destination. To the very place that Sakura would give anything not to go. Unfortunately, it would seem fate was against her once again.

"Thanks."

"Huh?"

"Thanks...for letting me rest at home for a few hours."

Temari smirked.

"It's nothing. Besides, I couldn't have you looking like a slob when you visit lover boy. It would ruin your chances, now wouldn't it?"

Sakura fumed.

_Did she say...Slob?_

_And...lover boy!_

"That's enough of that! It's just an involuntary visit, nothing else." The pink-haired Jounin snapped. "Besides, he and Hinata have had plenty of time..."

"Little Sakura." Temari sighed. "So naïve sometimes."

_Naïve?_

_What the hell?_

"Excuse me!" Sakura growled, glaring at the blonde Jounin walking beside her.

"Oh, never mind." Temari shrugged her shoulders carelessly, a knowing smirk on her face. "So, blondie lives just past the academy, right?"

"Hey, listen to me!" Sakura yelled, running to catch up with the girl who had suddenly jumped to travel through the rooftops.

"Don't get left behind, Sakura-chan!" Temari teased.

"DAMN YOU!"

--------------------------------------

Fingers were rhythmically tapping on a wooden desk.

Tsunade was pissed.

Pissed, pissed, pissed.

The object of her anger was a certain redheaded brat who felt he had the right to do whatever he wanted. A kid who took it upon himself to change plans that had been completely perfect. An annoying little nightmare who didn't seem to care or notice how much problems this might cause.

A tense silence had come over the room ever since Gaara explained his modifications to her wonderful plans. As the silence persisted, Tsunade wondered if her fist would reach him immediately, or if she would have to break through the sand in order to inflict some well deserved physical pain.

It was a couple of minutes before the Godaime calmed down enough to actually speak without the urge to scream or throw something.

"That isn't what we agreed to, Kazekage-sama."

"I am aware."

A blonde eyebrow twitched.

"Do you mind telling me why?"

"The plan of yours was flawed."

Slender fingers quickened their pace, tapping even louder.

"There is a lot at stake here."

"I am aware"

Tapping fingers ceased their motions, clenching into a tight fist.

"Unfortunately, this puts me into an interesting position."

"I am aware."

"..."

"..."

It was at that point that Tsunade finally broke out the Sake.

--------------------------------------

As Sakura jumped through the rooftops of Konoha village, she couldn't help but feel a bit excited. The fear was still there, along with the guilt, but there was something else there too. It was faint, but it was there. It was a small stirring in the pit of her stomach, a part of her that couldn't help but look forward to seeing the blonde again. No matter how hard she had tried these past six months, it would seem that there was still part of her that refused to let go of him.

_This isn't good..._

_Why can't I just let go of you?_

_Am I that selfish...still?_

_Will I ever grow up?_

Before she knew it, Sakura was landing in front of Naruto's small apartment building. Standing there, she noted that he would only live in the slightly rundown building for another day. Everything would change for him after tonight.

"Shall we?" Temari prompted, tilting her head towards the battered door leading to the entrance. Taking one last look at the outside of the six story building, Sakura nodded, walking ahead of Temari. The girls made their way up the stairs, noting the bad lighting and chipped paint on the walls.

"Why does he live in such a dump?" Sakura frowned at Temari's question, wondering the same thing herself.

_Why does he live here?_

_Surely he could be living somewhere better, considering he's the future Rokudaime._

_Wonder what kind of people live in this building..._

_So deserted_.

Then it clicked.

"He feels at home here."

"Hmm. Strange taste."

"What?" Sakura asked, puzzled. She then realized she hadn't really elaborated. "Oh, well you see, Naruto isn't used to having much. That and a lot of the villagers used to treat him horribly."

_Including me._

"Maybe," The pink-haired Jounin began. "He just feels more comfortable in a place like this. It may be in bad condition, but it seems peaceful enough. Naruto wouldn't have to worry about the villagers. He could be happy. Have a place to call home..."

"It seems a bit unfair to me, a kid having to live alone like this, suffering for the ignorance of others." Sakura couldn't blame Temari for her bitter tone. "They're more alike than we know."

She didn't have to ask Temari who she was talking about.

A thoughtful silence came over the two as they reached the top floor, which Naruto lived on. The two stood at the top of the stairs, looking down the short narrow hall. Sakura noticed that this floor was different from the others. The paint wasn't chipped, a newer carpet lined the hall, and the all of the lights were working. Sakura couldn't help smile at the blonde's work.

Orange paint, orange carpeting, and a few large swirls drawn on different parts of the walls in, what else, a darker shade of orange.

"How..."

"Very Naruto." Sakura finished Temari's sentence, a broad smile on her face. This comment earned her a strange look from her blonde friend.

"I was gonna say tacky, but is there even a difference where this guy's concerned?"

"Oh please, you-"

"SERIOUSLY!"

Sakura and Temari's heads both whipped around to look in the direction of the loud noise, which could only be coming from one person's mouth.

_Naruto._

--------------------------------------

"So right now, Naruto is at his apartment with absolutely no clue that Sakura is here in Konoha."

Kakashi actually lowered Icha Icha Tactics a fraction of an inch, in order to stare questioningly at the Hokage.

"Don't give me that look, Kakashi." Tsunade growled. "If I had it my way, Gaara would be at Naruto's apartment making the idiot jealous. As it is, the damn brat decided to make a change of plans."

"Did he say why?"

Tsunade sighed deeply, pouring herself another small cup of sake.

"All he said was that he had faith in Sakura." Kakashi's eyebrows shot up upon hearing this. A hollow laugh escaped Tsunade. "I know, I didn't see that coming either. First the kid grows a conscience, then a heart, now he has _faith_ in people. It's almost frightening."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, still standing in the middle of the Hokage's spacious office. Tsunade was, as usual, sitting at her desk, a large bottle of sake in front of her, along with a small cup she was currently drinking out of. One hand was waving the cup around in the air, while the other was in a fist supporting her chin.

"Either way," Tsunade began, "This should be interesting."

"Well, unpredictability always is fun." Kakashi almost crooned.

Tsunade smirked, gently placing her small cup down as she lowered her hand to her desk.

"Exactly."

--------------------------------------

"That is one loud little runt."

Sakura turned her head to the side to glare openly at the blonde Jounin standing next to her.

"What?" Temari asked, feigning innocence.

"Nothing," Sakura grunted, rolling her eyes. "Let's get this over with."

"Whatever you say."

With that, both girls began walking down the orange, brightly lit hall. As they approached Naruto's closed door they could hear a muffled voice coming from inside. It wasn't until the two were just outside the door that they noticed another voice. While the person was speaking much lower than Naruto's, they could tell someone was definitely in there with him. Whether it was a man or a woman remained a mystery.

_Well, I guess he wasn't talking on the phone or to himself.._

_Hopefully it's Ino or something..._

_Anyone who can make this easier would be a big help._

"It looks like blondie has some company." Temari teased. "I wonder who it is."

Sakura fixed Temari with an annoyed look. It would be a simple task to use her chakra in order to highten her senses, but she refused to do it. Sakura didn't want to alert Naruto to her presence, at least not yet. As stupid as she knew it was, she still felt like a quick escape was somehow possible. Here she was, at Naruto's door listening to an indistinct conversation, her left hand already slightly lifted in order to knock. And yet, in the back of her mind, she still wanted to run, run until she couldn't stand any longer. She refused to give up that small hope.

And she was glad that Temari understood.

"Well, here it goes." Sakura took a deep breath, lifting her clenched fist to the door.

"Finally..." Temari sighed, smirking at the nervous pink-haired Jounin.

_She's right._

"Yeah, I know." A short pause. "Finally."

Sakura was about to knock when suddenly a scuffling noise could be heard at the other side of the door. As the knob turned, she whipped her head to the side, only to see Temari looking at her with a matching expression of faint surprise.

In the next second, the door was opened widely before them. The two Jounin's turned their heads in unison to face the person standing in the doorway. Sakura and Temari were shocked silent, and for those few seconds neither spoke nor moved. The first to say anything was Sakura.

"Oh. You're...here?"

"Ahh, and so are you. Looks like I was right." The simple reply.

Sakura stared blankly, and before she could say anything else Temari finally spoke up.

"Is that all you have to say?" Temari sounded so furious that Sakura couldn't help but shudder in fear. She could actually feel the killing intent coming off of her friend in waves. "You lazy good-for-nothing bastard!"

"Che, troublesome as always."

* * *

A/N: HA! Looks like someone is in hot water – Temari's temper can be scary, huh? I will one of these days write a TemxShika fic, I've promised myself, I'm determined! Anyways, this chapter was a living hell to write, I had to totally scrap a bunch of stuff. 

The _biggest_ change was the complete removal of the plan. Yep, no more plan! Did I do it smoothly? I really regret not writing down the outline for the fic, since I wouldn't have this problem. My memory really is horrible. I'm sure it was a good plan too – most likely. Probably. I think.

Hey...does Axel from KH2 remind anyone else of Renji from Bleach? Both are strong hot red-headed rebels with facial marks who always lose battles. Am I crazy? Am I watching too much anime while playing too many video games? Is it all of the above? Ok...I'll leave now.

THANKS for reading!

* * *


	20. Picking up the pieces

A/N: Hi everyone! I bring you chapter 20 of Losing Naruto, for those of you who are still reading my little story.

HAPPY 400th review to Losing Naruto! Thanks so much to each and every one of you who review, you all make me so happy! I'm very lucky to have the best readers ever, who are willing to take the time to review. I'm doing Ikkaku's lucky dance from Bleach as we speak!

Super special thanks to rikki shiratori for pre-reading this chapter!

Now, on with the story!

* * *

All was quiet for a few tense seconds before the slamming of Temari's fan broke the silence. She had taken it off and leaned it up against the wall just outside Naruto's apartment, crossing her arms and glaring at the lazy Jounin standing in the doorway. 

"What the hell're you doing here, Shika?"

A small smile settled itself over Shikamaru's bored features, his arm reaching up to the door frame to allow him to lean against it in a lazy fashion.

"Troublesome woman, is that how you say hello?"

It was quick, but Sakura could swear she saw Shikamaru's smile widen before Temari flattened him with a hard fist to his face. She was sure he could have dodged it if he wanted to, or even countered...which made her wonder just how strange of a relationship the two have.

"No bastard, that's how I say screw you!"

"Temari!"

"Stay out of it."

"What's your-"

"It's none of your business Sakura, so stay _out_ of it!"

"Aren't you at least a little happy?"

"No. I'm pissed."

"You're lying!" angry.

"You're interfering!" angrier.

"Women." bored.

"SHUT UP!" in unison.

"Sakura-chan?"

_Naruto_.

Sakura gasped, her eyes widening in shock and immediately beginning to water.

And at that moment, everything was completely quiet. Shikamaru had stood back up, and was watching Sakura with a thoughtful expression. Temari on the other hand was looking in the direction where Sakura guessed Naruto must have been standing. She couldn't turn to look at him, though. She was frozen to the spot, a thousand thoughts running through her head.

_His voice..._

_After so long. _

_How could I have thought I could do this!_

_I can't...I just can't!_

"Well, my work here is done." Temari's voice broke Sakura out her trance; she quickly whipped her head around to stare hopelessly at her departing friend.

"W-where..."

"Ah, this is too troublesome. I'm leaving too." A small nod from Shikamaru, and he was gone.

"B-but..."

And then they were alone.

Together.

_Crap._

Shikamaru was following Temari down the orange hall, watching her back as she quickly walked towards the stairs, setting a fast and angry pace. She hadn't spoken since they had left Naruto's apartment. In fact, she hadn't even looked at him since then.

_So troublesome_.

"You're that angry, eh?"

Silence.

_Why do I even bother asking?_

"I've been here since last night," Shikamaru said lazily, walking faster to keep up with Temari, who sped up. "the others are here too, with the exception of Sasuke and Neji."

Still, she said nothing.

"ANBU told me you guys had arrived this morning. The moron over there didn't believe me. I tried to convince him. "

Temari's pace sped up once again, if anything, she was only getting angrier.

This was what bothered Shikamaru most about women. They got angry over the smallest insignificant things, and then expected you to know that they were angry about. And if you didn't know, that only got them angrier. It was a whole mess he would rather not deal with at all, but unfortunately, when it came to a certain sand kunoichi, he didn't have a choice.

So Shikamaru did something he really hated doing.

He persisted.

"I think I saw your brother...Kankuro, was it? He was bothering Kiba about something. You happen to know what that was about?"

No answer.

Shikamaru watched Temari rushing down the stairs, as if she were trying to get away from him as soon as possible. He thought back for a moment and realized that never had Temari ran away from him. She wasn't the running type, especially not when angry. She would hit him, yes, and threaten him, yes. But she never, ever ran.

_What the hell..._

_Troublesome._

Using his chakra, Shikamaru sped up, hoping to catch Temari before she could make it out of sight. Within seconds he had caught up with her, putting a single hand on her shoulder, silently asking her to stop. She did.

_Great._

_What do I say now?_

_Damn woman._

As he stood there a step above her, his hand resting on her shoulder, he noticed that she was shaking. Not a lot since he could barely see it, even from so close up, but he could still feel the small tremors. They stood like that for a few seconds, neither of them saying anything. Then, out of nowhere, Temari lowered her head a fraction of an inch.

"I hate you so much." Shikamaru stared at the back of her head, dumbfounded. Her voice was actually shaking.

"I really hate you! Bastard..."

Before he knew it, Temari had turned around, jumping up from the stair below him to wrap her arms around him in a desperate hug. Sobs wracked her body as she dug her head into his chest, grasping his olive vest for support.

Shikamaru could only stare at her vulnerable form in shock, not believing what he was seeing. Slowly, his arms moved to her shoulders as he sat down, gently cradling her in his chest. Her sobs quieted down after a few minutes, and she tentatively lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her nose was slightly red, eyes puffy, with tears still shining in her eyes. Despite that, she still looked like she was going to hit him any second now.

_Troublesome._

_Beautiful, but troublesome._

--------------------------------------------------

It had only been a couple minutes since Temari and Shikamaru had left them alone, but to Sakura, it felt like hours. The silence had gotten deafening, to the point that the steady hum of Naruto's refrigerator could have been the loudest thing Sakura had ever heard. The tension was thick, a million unspoken words threatening to suffocate Sakura, all of it was quickly becoming far too much for her to handle.

_What am I supposed to say?_

_Why isn't he saying anything?_

As the time passed, it seemed the walls were closing in on her, and Sakura was so tempted to just run. It would be so easy, she did it once, why can't she do it again?

It was then that she realized something. She couldn't run away anymore, it was pointless. No matter how many times she ran, no matter how far she got, she would somehow end up back here. If not in person, then she would be here in her head, and in her heart. Her heart was here, with Naruto, and there was no denying it now.

Even knowing this, Sakura still didn't know what to do. Should she say something? If so, what should she say, what could she say after all this time? The few letters he sent were so short, she almost felt as if she had missed out on too much.

_How has he been?_

_Where is Hinata?_

_Is he scared...nervous?_

_How does he feel about seeing me again?_

_Is he happy, or disappointed?_

_How does someone ask these things?_

Sakura wanted to yell in frustration. She brought her hand up to her face, rubbing her forehead as she stood inside his small apartment. She could see his form in her peripheral vision, but couldn't bring herself to look straight at him. His eyes were on her, that much she knew without having to see his face. Why he had yet to speak was a mystery to her.

Whatever it was, it had to end. This waiting was killing her. So taking a deep breath, Sakura closed her eyes, summoned all of her strength, and spoke.

"So...um. How have you been?" Sakura mentally smacked herself over how stupid she must have sounded to him.

_How have you been!_

_Ugh, nice one!_

She still had yet to look him in the eyes

"Oh...you know, great!" Naruto answered cheerfully, taking a few steps towards the place Sakura was standing.

Hearing this, Sakura lowered her head. She didn't know if she should smile or frown, so she bit her lip instead. He was happy, which was a good thing, but it was hard to hear him say it himself. It meant that he was alright without her. Not only was he alright, but 'great' apparently. Wasn't that supposed to be a good thing, though?

"That's good."

"Yeah, you know me!"

"Right."

Silence, once again. Sakura lifted her head, still looking anywhere but at him. She had known him for so long, he was one of her best friends, but somehow she still felt as if she was standing in the house of a stranger.

"So, what are you doing here?" Naruto broke the silence, almost sounding timid, even a little hopeful.

"Gaara insisted I come along for the ceremony tonight. He asked me to come visit you first thing, so I..." She trailed off, looking at the area to the left of Naruto.

"Oh."

Sakura almost cringed at how disappointed he sounded. Before she could say anything more though, she was interrupted by Naruto's voice, sounding as cheerful as ever.

"Gaara's here too! That's great! Haha, looks like everyone is here except for the two cold bastards of Konoha. They're on some special assignment with ANBU, which is okay, since they get on my nerves anyway!"

"Yeah." Sakura laughed softly.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Sakura heard Naruto walking in the direction of the kitchen, and picked up her head slightly in order to watch his retreating back. Before she even had the chance to ask him where he was going, he spoke up.

"Hey Sakura-chan, want some tea or something?" He asked, now starting to rummage through his cabinets. Since only a linoleum floor showed where the kitchen began, she could still see him from where she stood in his living room.

"Sure, that sounds nice." Sakura answered, turning her attention to a small coffee table, which had a picture of team 7 on top of it in a black picture frame.

It was taken a couple months after Sasuke returned from Orochimaru. It was almost like the first picture they took together, only they were all a few years older. Kakashi was standing in back of them, happily waving at the camera. Both boys were playfully scowling at each other, while Sakura smiled brightly in between them.

_Things were so simple back then._

_Now look at us. _

_An ANBU, a Rokudaime, and a former Konoha shinobi. _

_So much has changed._

_Well, at least Kakashi's still a pervert._

"So," Naruto began, breaking Sakura out of her thoughts. He was putting a small kettle on top of the stove. "How's Suna treating ya?"

"You know, it's Suna. So of course it's really, really hot. Not much to do but train and teach and stuff. I've been really busy lately."

"Ah."

The uneasy silence returned as Naruto set two cups on top of the small table in the middle of his rather crowded kitchen. Sakura wasn't facing him, but could still see his movements in the corner of her eyes.

"What about Gaara? Is he still as psychotically scary as ever? I swear, sometimes I just wanna smack some emotion into that guys face, same with Neji."

Sakura frowned. Gaara may have been a bit (or a lot) scary, but he was one of the strongest persons she knew. She had come to respect him greatly, as much as she respected Tsunade. Although, that didn't bother her nearly as much as what he said next.

"I dunno how Hinata dealt with him before. We were having ramen the other day, and she was really worried. I told her that he was too much of an ass to die, but I don't think that made her feel any better."

He had yet to mention Hinata, and now that he had, Sakura found herself annoyed beyond reason. It was childish, and stupid, and unexpected, but she couldn't help it. And if Naruto had time to eat ramen with Hinata, why couldn't he write a letter that was longer than a paragraph?

All of these things built up, until Sakura was overwhelmed with jealousy and anger.

"You shouldn't say things like that about Gaara." She snapped. "He's not that bad, Naruto."

Sakura felt his eyes on her again. She knew he was shocked by her outburst, and didn't care. She wanted to shock him, hurt him, make him feel like she felt.

"W-Well, I know that! He's just – well, you gotta admit the guy has a few screws loose."

Sakura brought her hands to her hips, glaring at the wall of Naruto's apartment.

"He's mature, smart, and cares deeply for his people. If that's what you call 'having a few screws loose' then I guess you're right."

"It's not that – I just – are you mad?"

Sakura calmed herself, taking a deep breath. It wasn't as if what he said about Gaara bothered her that much, since she was used to his comments by now.

No, her anger had nothing to do with Gaara. It was nothing more than immature jealousy. Once again, Sakura found herself jealous over something that was never hers to begin with. She had gone as far as to leave it behind, so she really had no right to be jealous.

Unfortunately, this reasoning didn't make her heart feel any different about the current situation. Stifling those feelings, Sakura decided to push everything away for the time being. It had been six months since she'd seen him, and wasn't up to fighting right now. Especially since he might discover the real reason behind her anger.

"No, I'm not mad," Sakura answered, sighing in exasperation. "I just wish you'd show a little more respect. He really is a great leader."

Sakura heard Naruto's defeated grunt, and smiled slightly to herself.

"Whatever. In any case, I'm glad you two have gotten close."

Sakura lowered her head, mentally kicking herself.

_Close?_

_Did I put that impression across?_

_Hell no, Gaara's gonna murder me if he hears about this!_

_Damn Naruto!_

Not noticing the inner turmoil Sakura was experiencing, Naruto continued to speak, hit tone sounding falsely casual.

"Are you guys...you know..."

"What?" Sakura interrupted, lifting her head so fast she could swear she heard something snap in the back of her neck. She was still facing away from him, her expression one of shock and bewilderment.

_Is he...serious?_

"Are you guys together, or something?"

"Together!" Sakura squeaked, instantly becoming light headed.

"You know," Naruto sounded as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. "like, romantical-"

Sakura flailed her arms, causing him to stop speaking abruptly. "Ok, stop! Just – shhh! Please!"

Thankfully, Naruto obeyed. Sakura was given a few moments to collect her thoughts before realizing that no amount of thought-collection would make what Naruto said any easier to wrap her head around. It was with great caution, that she began to speak, still not facing him.

"What would ever make you think that Gaara and I were – that he was -- that I was -- I mean, come on! It's Gaara!"

For a second, Naruto said nothing. When he did begin to speak, he sounded immensely relieved.

"Well, you were quick to defend him right now, and I hear the guy has his own fan-club in Suna, with a smaller branch in Konoha." Sakura couldn't hold back a snort. "So, I guess I just figured...but there's nothing going on between you?" Naruto still sounded wary, as if expecting bad news at any moment, but wishing against it with everything he had.

"Nope, nothing. He's an amazing guy, yeah, but...he's a little too...well, Gaara for my tastes, you know?" Sakura answered, she could almost feel Naruto's relief pouring from him in waves.

A warm feeling settled itself in Sakura's chest at the thought of Naruto being jealous. She knew how it felt; only she wasn't brave enough to just go out and ask Naruto about his relationship with Hinata. Making assumptions for the worst was always an easier way to deal with these things.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Hmm?"

Sakura waited for him to continue, moving to the end of his small apartment in order to look at some random pictures he had on display. As she picked up one of the pictures in order to look at it closely, he began to speak, his voice sounding closer than before.

"What's wrong?" he sounded worried.

"What do you mean?" Sakura continued looking at the photos, ignoring his approaching footsteps that she could now hear over his hardwood floors.

"I mean, why haven't you looked at me once since you got here?" Sakura's eyed widened slightly at his question. His footsteps stopped, in what Sakura guessed was the middle of his living room.

She was holding a picture of Naruto and Iruka in his academy days, but wasn't really looking at it at all. All she could see when she looked at the photo was her own scared expression in the reflection. There were a few reasons why she couldn't look him in the eyes after all this time, none of which she could tell him.

_Because it hurts too much._

_Because I can't look at you and lie about my feelings at the same time._

_Because I know I can't be with you._

"What do you mean?" Sakura responded, doing her best to sound as casual as possible. "I guess I've just been a bit distracted."

"Distracted!" Naruto loudly exclaimed, the sound of his footsteps returned, signaling his approach. Part of her screamed for her body to move, but Sakura found that she was frozen to the spot. An even bigger part of her wanted him to come closer, to touch him, just once.

"Didn't you miss me?" he whined loudly. Sakura chaaaaan!"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh, a warm feeling spreading through her chest over hearing him call her name like that once again. It was just like before, and suddenly she felt as if she had never left.

"Naruto! Act your age!" She yelled in mock anger, still not facing him even though his footsteps had stopped a few feet behind her. Grabbing a larger picture off of the small table, Sakura brought it closer, smiling at the recent photo of Kiba riding a fully grown Akamaru, smiling wolfishly.

"So mean..." Naruto trailed off, and Sakura could hear the pout in his voice. She smiled sadly at her reflection in the glass, realizing with each passing minute just how much she really missed him.

A comfortable silence came over them as Sakura continued to look at the picture of Kiba, her mind racing with thoughts. Having him standing so close was torture, but it felt so good at the same time. She could almost feel his warmth, the feelings of comfort and ease that radiated off of his body threatened to take over all of her senses.

"Hey," Naruto's voice finally broke the short silence that had come between them. He sounded playful, but Sakura could tell that he was about to ask something serious. "Is the picture really that interesting? You know, you can have it if you want, it's just Kiba's flea-bitten ass after all."

Sakura forced a laugh, but still didn't put the picture down. She was holding on to it with such a tight grip she could see her fingers turning white with the pressure. If she were to let go, to put it down, then she might have to turn around to face him. She would have to look in his eyes, and wasn't sure if she trusted herself all that much yet.

"Well...it's a very nice picture, you know. They look nice like that, together in the picture. They make a good team." She responded lamely, blinking her eyes hard in frustration.

Before she could say or do anything, she felt Naruto's body closing in on hers, the warmth of his chest spreading through her back. Sakura's eyes widened in shock she he brought both of his arms around her shoulders, hugging her tightly from behind. Her mind was buzzing, her stomach was squirming, and her heart felt like it had risen to her throat.

He lowered his head to her shoulder, tilting his head to the side. Before she could stop herself, she found her eyes focusing on the photo she held in her hand. Sakura's breath caught in her throat as her gaze rested on his smiling face in their distorted reflection in the glass. Their eyes locked on each other, and Sakura suddenly felt very week in the knees. She couldn't do anything but stare back at him with a stunned expression, which didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Ahh!" Naruto exclaimed, still staring into her eyes. "I think that makes a better picture, don't-cha think?" He sighed deeply when Sakura didn't respond.

"I missed you, Sakura-chan. A lot." He sounded so honest, his grip on her tightening slightly as he smiled sadly at her through the glass.

Sakura wanted to smile, laugh, cry, or maybe even scream that it was all wrong. She left Konoha for a reason, and there was no way she could give into it now. It would make the past six months pointless, and judging from his short letters and words earlier, he had been doing so well. She had to be strong, for him. For both of them.

_That can't be us, Naruto_

_It can never be us._

And without another thought, Sakura let the picture fall from her grasp, flinching when the glass shattered to pieces on the hard floor.

_Never_.

Naruto's grip instantly loosened, his hands pulling Sakura back from the broken glass that now littered the floor of his small apartment.

"Are you okay?" he asked, sounding so worried that Sakura instantly felt bad.

_I'm so sorry._

"Yeah." She answered in a flat tone, doing her best to mask the myriad of emotions she was feeling at that moment. She turned to face him, her resolve stronger than ever. He was now in the kitchen, searching through cabinets desperately.

"Um, ok, good! Just lemme get something to clean that up with..." Naruto trailed off, staring at the pot on his stove. "Then we'll do something about the damn water I forgot was boiling until now! I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, you'll have to wait a bit longer for the tea." He smiled sheepishly, turning to face Sakura.

"It's ok. I have to go now anyways."

"What?"

Sakura turned her face from his before she could see his face fall even more than it already had.

_It's better this way_.

"Yeah, there's some stuff I have to do, so – I'll see you later, alright?" Sakura began walking to the door, her pace quickened as she heard him moving closer to her.

As one of her hands reached out and turned the knob, she felt his hand grab the other. Before he could say anything, she quickly pulled it away, as though scalded.

"DON'T-" She yelled in the direction of the partially open door, her hand gripping the doorknob tightly. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "just...don't, Naruto. Please."

_Please understand_.

"But-"

_Please_.

"I'll see you tonight at the ceremony. Congratulations, again."

And with that, Sakura ran out of his small apartment and down the orange hall, not looking back once. She didn't trust herself enough to look back; the feelings of guilt were already so strong she felt like she was going to be sick at any moment.

_I'm so stupid._

_I let myself get carried away again, and look what happened._

_I'm so sorry, Naruto. _

_So very sorry._

It wasn't until she reached the old training grounds of team 7 did she realize that she had been blindly running through Konoha, too wrapped up in her thoughts to know or care where she was going. She was exhausted, more mentally than physically though. Unable to go any further, Sakura fell to her knees, wrapped herself up in her arms, and cried silently to herself.

--------------------------------------------------

Hinata was walking through Konoha, loving the buzz that the warm afternoon offered. On ordinary days, she would enjoy seeing everyone go about their business, and would sometimes wonder where each person was going, and if they were happy or sad. Sometimes her friendly nature would prompt her to ask some of them how their day was going.

This contemplation would usually end once she found one of her friends walking down the street, or something else to bide her time with until another mission came along. That was how her ordinary days went.

Today wasn't exactly an ordinary day, though.

Today, Naruto was finally going to have his dream come true. She was so excited for him, and couldn't help but wonder how he himself must have been feeling.

The last time she had spoken to him was two days ago, when the two of them were having lunch at Ichakaru's, which had become a habit for them. When she asked him about it, his response was predictable enough. He whooped loudly, going on and on about free ramen privileges and well-deserved respect. While he talked excitedly about being the next Hokage, devouring bowl after bowl as he spoke, Hinata could only watch him, smiling fondly at his antics.

It had been two days since then, and she hadn't seen Naruto since. He was busy with training, and she understood that, but there was so much she wanted to ask him still. She felt like they had gotten closer over the past couple of months, and was glad to see that he had been dealing much better with Sakura's absence as of late.

Hinata hadn't tried to replace Sakura as one of his best friends, she knew it was impossible. All she tried to do was be there for him, letting him know that he had other friends that cared for him as much as Sakura did. Although he still seemed to miss the former Konoha shinobi very much, Hinata could tell that a lot of progress had been made since her departure six months ago.

As far as her relationship with Naruto went, she found herself not being able to let go of her feelings for the blonde. Part of her, the more realistic part, kept telling herself that it was pointless. She should let go of him, find someone else, and move on with her life.

Yet, as hard as she tried, she still couldn't do it. Hinata couldn't force herself to let go of Naruto, because as much as she wanted to, she just didn't have that kind of strength.

_How did you do it, Sakura?_

_You really can be...so much stronger then I am sometimes. _

_This bloodline limit...doesn't help with such things._

_It's times like this, that I could really envy you. _

Shaking her head to rid herself of such depressing thoughts, Hinata finally decided on her destination. Turning around, she began to walk in the direction of Naruto's apartment building. She missed him, and decided now was as good a time as ever to ask him how he was feeling about tonight.

Checking her watch, Hinata realized that it was just past noon, and figured that if Naruto wasn't awake yet, she would have to wake the blonde up for his own good. She had come to know Naruto very well lately, and knew that he loved nothing more than to sleep in as long as possible, especially since his training didn't start until the late afternoon.

As she walked up the stairs, she vaguely wondered if this was the last time she would be visiting him here. As of tonight, he would be living in the huge house that each Hokage before him had lived in. Hinata couldn't feel happier for him, since she knew nobody deserved it as much as he.

_I'll miss these orange walls, Naruto-kun_...

_They really do suit you so well_..

Hinata smiled, putting her hands in her large coat pockets before finally approaching his door. She was surprised to find it open by just a small crack, the sounds of scuffling coming through the hallway. Hinata tentatively knocked softly on the orange door, chewing her bottom lip as the crack widened with the small amount of applied force.

After a moment, she heard Naruto's voice clearly come through from the other side of the partially opened door.

"Hinata-chan, what brings you here?" He sounded cheerful, and Hinata couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Um, just visiting I suppose. May I come in, please?" Hinata asked quietly and as politely as ever.

She heard him laugh loudly, "Well, the door's open, so you might as well!"

Hinata felt her face warm up in embarrassment as she opened the door the rest of the way, stepping into Naruto's small apartment. Before she walked any further than the doorway, she was asked to close the door, and quickly did so, turning to gently shut the door with a small _click_.

"Ow! Damnit!' Naruto cursed in the direction of his living room, Hinata whipped her head around quickly to see what had happened.

Her eyes fell upon Naruto's huddling form; he was crouching on the floor, and seemed to be carefully picking up some sort of mess. As she moved closer, she realized it was glass from a broken picture frame that lay in front of him.

"Are you ok, Naruto-kun?" Hinata carefully approached the mess.

She waited for a moment, not sure if he was going to answer her or not. He seemed to be purposely keeping his attention on the task at hand, but she could tell something was bothering him.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" She asked, referring to his troubled mood.

Another moment of silence, where all that could be heard was the clinking of glass that Naruto was carefully putting in his open hand. When he finally lifted his head to face her, he was smiling, a goofy expression covering his youthful features.

"Ah, you know. The picture frame fell, and the glass broke. Then I stepped on it by accident right before you came, which only made things worse." Naruto laughed, and Hinata had never heard anything so fake.

"I meant, what happened with you?" She asked him gently.

"Hmm? What do you mean, I'm fine."

_Why does he even try lying to me?_

_Naruto-kun...I thought you were through with this act_.

"Please, Naruto-kun." Hinata quietly pleaded, not caring that she sounded a little desperate. At this point, maybe she was. "Tell me the truth. What happened?"

For a moment, she was afraid that she wasn't getting through to him until he sighed loudly, moving the hand that wasn't full of glass to his forehead, rubbing tiredly.

"Sakura-chan was here."

Hinata felt her stomach drop.

"...What?" She asked breathlessly, crouching down across from him.

"She came today, with Gaara and them." she could hear the open sadness in his voice, and wondered just what could have happened this time. "We talked, and it was starting to be like old times, but then..." Naruto trailed off, his gaze moving from her face to the glass on the floor.

Hinata lowered her head to look him in the eyes, his troubled expression made her heart clench in pain. She found herself frowning back at him, not knowing what she could say to him to make things better.

_There's nothing I can say_.

"Then," he continued after a moment, taking a deep breath. "I messed things up. I said something, or did something, I don't know – and she just left. She dropped the picture right before leaving." He added, motioning to the different sized pieces of glass scattered on the floor.

"Did she say why"? Hinata asked timidly, carefully watching his expression change from troubled to confused.

"No, but I'm pretty sure she was pissed about something. I don't know what I could've said to make her so mad, everything was going fine."

Hinata bit her lip, turning her head to look around his small apartment. She wasn't looking at anything in particular; she just couldn't watch him any longer. After all this time of slowly witnessing his healing, it was as if he was now just as broken as the glass on the floor.

When he spoke again, he sounded so angry and frustrated that Hinata was completely caught off guard, her body jumping slightly from her position across from him on the floor.

"I thought...that I was smarter. I worked hard; I wanted to be someone that she could be happy with. I thought I was mature enough – good enough-"

While she listened intently to his words, Hinata's eyes closed tightly, the raw emotion in his voice threatening to bring tears to her eyes. He continued, unaware of the effect he was having on her.

"-but I think I found something out today. I'll never be good enough for Sakura-chan, will I? I-I'll always be like a little brother to her. It's just never gonna change, damnit!"

Hinata's eyes opened, widening in shock as she heard the unmistakable sound of glass crunching, accompanied by the sickening sound of something dripping onto a hardwood floor. Naruto's hand was clenched into a tight fist, blood seeping out through cracks and open wounds. Hinata could see a few pieces of glass sticking out at odd angles.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped, moving to grab the injured hand. Before she had the chance, he pulled his arm out of reach.

"It's ok, Hinata-chan, don't worry. I heal fast – I guess I just got carried away."

Hinata watched him begin to pick the pieces of glass out, frowning as he haphazardly threw each piece behind his back, some of them hitting the wall and shattering once more.

"Um, Naruto-kun, are you sure..." Hinata began carefully, tilting her head and wincing slightly as she saw even more glass hitting the wall as she spoke.

"It's fine, trust me. Besides, this place isn't gonna be home after tonight's ceremony, so why bother? I'll officially be the Rokudaime in less than half a day."

"I suppose you're right." Hinata frowned, noticing how his usual excitement over the title was absent. In fact, he sounded almost bitter about it now.

She inched closer to Naruto, who was still trying to pick the glass out of his hand, with little success. From what she could see, he was trying to do it all so fast that he kept pricking his finger on different pieces of glass.

"May I?" Hinata asked, stretching a pale hand out to him. They were both crouching, careful not to lean back too much, which would cause them to sit on some of the glass that had yet to be picked up.

"It's alright, Hinata-chan, I've got it." Right after he said that, Naruto cut his finger open once again, cursing under his breath. She smiled warmly at him.

"I've got the Byakugan, remember? Please don't worry, I won't cut myself, I promise."

Naruto turned his attention to Hinata's kind smile, watching her carefully. After a moment, he made up his mind, stretching his hand out to her. With a sigh of relief, Hinata gently grasped his wrist, activated the Byakugan, and began carefully pulling out each piece of glass.

After a few moments she noticed Naruto visibly relax.

"Hey, you're pretty good at this."

Hinata couldn't help but blush slightly, smiling at his flattering words. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

"Haha, you're always so polite, Hinata-chan! Loosen up for once, yeah?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I'll try." Hinata blushed even more under his stare, trying as hard as she could to concentrate on the task at hand. It was beginning to get difficult, though.

The two of them sat there, completely comfortable in each others presence. Hinata was almost finished, but was suddenly interrupted by Naruto clearing his throat.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

Hinata nodded her head quickly, most of her attention on his hand, which was of course, healing at an incredible rate. A few stubborn pieces of glass still remained, though.

"Don't laugh or anything, and don't tell anyone I asked you this! I'd never hear the end of it from Sasuke-bastard." laughing softly, Hinata politely agreed.

"Well...I was just wondering...you know..."

"Yes?" she encouraged him to continue, sensing his deep embarrassment with whatever he was about to ask.

"Ok," taking a deep breath, he continued. "Do you think it's possible to...you know, care about one person - _that_ way - for your whole life? I mean, even if you know that person doesn't feel the same? Is it stupid to still feel stuff for that person?"

Hinata stopped what she was doing, lowering her eyes sadly at his question. She had asked herself that same question so many times before, but had yet to come up with a simple answer.

"I...don't know." Hinata answered truthfully, turning her attention back to his hand. "I hope not. Otherwise, there isn't much hope for people like us, is there?"

The room became silent, with Hinata trying as hard as she could to remove the last piece of glass, while Naruto said nothing. After a few moments passed, she suddenly saw his other hand coming up to grab her chin, lifting it slowly so their eyes could meet. She felt her Byakugan fade, her sight instantly returning to normal.

She waited for him to speak, to say something to her. Naruto continued to look her in the eyes, his gaze full of sorrow and understanding. As much as Hinata wanted to tear her eyes away from his, she couldn't.

Finally, he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan." Naruto sounded so gentle then, so honest, that all Hinata could do was stare back at him, her mouth hanging open slightly.

Before she could say anything, he had moved closer, pulling her into a gentle hug. She sat there in shock, not able to move enough even to wrap her own arms around him. There were no more words exchanged, mainly because there was nothing else to say.

Before long, Hinata's own arms slowly and carefully lifted to encircle him as well. They sat like that for what felt like an eternity, both not wanting to let go, desperately searching for some sort of comfort that would make the pain go away.

Both Hinata and Naruto understood that even though their situations were different, they felt the same type of pain. And while they could do nothing to change their feelings, they could at least be there for each other now, when they both needed it the most.

_Sakura...you may be braver than I am. _

_You may be more confident than I am._

_But if you can't see what you're leaving behind..._

_Then maybe you're not as smart as I thought you were_.

* * *

A/N: Awww, poor Hinata! I had no fun writing the end of this chapter, trust me. I feel sorry for Naruto, too. Raise your hand if you wanna slap Sakura! 

Hehe, anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter; the next one will be out soon! Not very much of the story left to go at this point. I'm having a hard time thinking lately since I'm so excited about Anime Expo, which is gonna rock.

Well, I'm off to watch Advent Children again. You wanna know something strange? Reno is hot, has red hair, markings on his face, and he's pretty strong but keeps getting his ass kicked. Is this a coincidence? I wonder...

Thanks again for reading!


	21. Hinata's bravery

A/N: Welcome to Losing Naruto, Chapter 21! I'm sorry it took so long, but things have been kinda insane for me. And I kinda sorta changed the ending to this story. (Again)

Before I say anything else, a **HUGE THANK YOU** goes out to ALL of my reviewers, yes, each and every one of you! The smallest comments inspire me and motivate me, and the longest critiques make me a better writer, and I thank all of you for all of your support!

Huge thanks to my wonderful pre-reader for this chapter, rikki shiratori! She's awesome, and really helpful! And I really, really bug her too much. I'm so sorry for all of the trouble I put you thorough. Forgive me, pleeeease? It's just, your advice is priceless!

**NOTE**: There are quite a few POV's in this chapter, but please, bear with me. And any OOCness is unfortunate, completely necessary and couldn't be avoided. I'm really sorry!

Alright, time to read! Please enjoy!

* * *

"A letter?" 

Hinata nodded, smiling softly at her blonde friend.

"You think it'll work?" Naruto sounded more skeptical then Hinata would have hoped.

"Please, just have faith Naruto-kun. I'm not saying that it will work," Hinata put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm only saying that it wouldn't hurt to try."

He seemed to think about this, bringing some hope to the dark haired Hyuuga. She had been discussing the Sakura situation with Naruto for the past half hour or so, and didn't feel like she was making any progress.

"Alright, alright! I give up!" Naruto growled, shocking Hinata slightly. "I'll write a note, but I'm no good with this stuff, you know."

"Just write about how you feel, Naruto-kun. Make it short, you want to make sure she reads the whole letter, remember?"

"Yeah, I know." The blonde sitting at the opposite end of the small dining table in the small apartment sighed deeply, chewing at the end of his pen.

A few minutes went by, then a few more went by, the only noises that could be heard in the quiet apartment was the soft clinking of Hinata's tea cup, along with occasional groans from Naruto who was obviously having a difficult time writing. Hinata felt bad for him, but had already sworn she wouldn't help him with the actual writing of the letter. These were his feelings, and even if it took hours, he would do it himself.

Of course, the letter served a more important purpose than just a reminder of his feelings. This was something of a last ditch effort for him, and Hinata could only hope for the best. Naruto had been deprived of so much his entire life, and although he was finally becoming Hokage, the blonde was obviously incomplete without Sakura.

_Please, let this work..._

_Don't disappoint me, Sakura._

_You're smarter than this..._

"Ahhhh!" Hinata blinked a few times, coming out of her thoughts to look questioningly at the blonde sitting in front of her. Naruto was slumping in his chair, looking completely relieved. "Finished, Hinata-chan! Thank god! That damn letter almost killed me..."

Hinata smiled brightly, laughing at his display of open relief. That was another thing she loved about Naruto, he was never afraid to be himself, no matter what people thought.

"Good job, Naruto-kun." Hinata praised, grabbing the letter from the table top and folding it for him without even glancing at the contents.

"Eh? Aren't you gonna read it!" Naruto screeched, catching Hinata off guard once again.

"Hmm? Oh no, it's private. I couldn't imagine-"

"Hinata-chaaan, pleeease?" Hinata looked into those huge pleading blue eyes, finding her resolve crumbling at amazing speeds. That look, it really could make anyone weak.

_Well, I knew this wasn't going to be easy._

_But he needs me_.

_That's all that matters_.

With a deep sigh, and much apprehension, Hinata brought the note closer in order to read it, opening the small folds she had just made in the small white paper.

'_Dear Sakura-chan,_

_I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to freak you out, but you were back after a long time, and, well, you know?_

_Look, I'm kinda having a hard time here, so I just hope you get what I'm trying to say. I suck at stuff like this, you know that. _

_I guess I'll just come out and say it, then. The truth is, I've always waited for you Sakura-chan. When you went away to Suna, I stayed here, and I waited._

_I'm still waiting. Maybe that makes me an idiot, I dunno. The one thing I do know is that I'd probably wait forever, but I know that's kinda stupid, huh? I think I might be a bit tired of waiting for you. But the truth is, even if I did get with some perfect girl, and had lots of babies and stuff, I would still be waiting for you. _

_Some stubborn damn part of me won't let go, but I think I gotta give up, be realistic. The old hag said I've grown up lately; maybe she's right, huh?_

_Look, just meet me on the top of the Hokage Mountain before the ceremony, alright? So we can talk about stuff._

_If you don't show up, I'll understand. And I won't hold it against you. _

_Number one ninja in Konoha,_

_Uzumaki Naruto_"

Hinata looked up from the letter to see an anxious looking Naruto watching her closely. She could feel his gaze boring into her as she read the letter, and was worried that he would snatch it out of her hands at any moment.

"Naruto-kun...that was..."

"I know, it sucks! But I tried my best, and-"

"No, it's perfect!" Hinata felt her face heat up at her own mini-outburst. "I-I think she's gonna love it." She answered honestly.

"Really? You think so?"

Hinata felt her heart breaking a little more as she nodded twice, giving him the brightest smile she could muster.

"Thanks Hinata-chan!" Without realizing it was going to happen until it actually did, Hinata was pulled out of her chair and into a massive bear hug. "You're the best!"

"Ah..c-can't..breath...N-Naruto...kuuun...!"

"OH! Sorry!" Naruto immediately released her, smiling sheepishly as Hinata gasped loudly, desperately taking in as much air as possible.

"It's...ok." Hinata said between gasps of breath, making her way to the door.

"Oh, you're leaving?"

"Well, yes," Hinata began, completely recovered from her temporary loss of breath. "I have a lot of things to do before tonight. Same as you, Naruto-kun."

"Um, but—what if she runs the other way when she sees me, or hits me or something? She hits really hard now, you know? Almost as hard as the old hag, if you'd believe that!"

Hinata smiled at the frantic blonde, watching as his eyes bulged out in fear at the prospect of being beaten for simply giving the pink-haired Jounin a letter. Hinata knew it was impossible, but didn't think she would be able to convince Naruto at this point. She could almost hear his nerves sizzling to a crisp under the pressure.

"I doubt she'd really hit you, but just in case, why not leave the letter with her parents?"

"Her parents?"

"Yes, you can trust them to pass the letter on, and you can be sure that the contents won't be read. I've met Sakura's parents, they're wonderful people. You've got nothing to worry about."

For a moment, Naruto just stood there staring at Hinata with an expression akin to wonder. It didn't take long for him to break out of his trance, giving her the brightest smile she had seen in a while.

"Hinata-chan, that's perfect! You're a genius!"

Once again, Hinata felt her face heat up against her will.

"T-thank you, Naruto-kun. It's nothing, really. I'm no genius, not like Neji-niisan..."

_I hope he's ok, wherever he is..._

_Neji-nii_...

"Aww, come on! You're a million times smarter than that pompous ass!"

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata admonished, but her expression softened considerably when she saw that her blonde friend was smiling mischievously in her direction.

"You were looking too gloomy. Smile more, ok?"

_I'll try._

_My fake smiles..._

_They're not as convincing as yours._

_And I can't lie as well as Sakura._

_I have nothing to hide behind._

_But for you two, I'll try._

"I suppose I just have a lot on my mind." Hinata bowed. "I'm sorry."

"There you go apologizing again! Hinata-chan, I worry about you sometimes!"

If Hinata was a bit selfish, she might have been angry about how lightly he was taking the situation.

If Hinata was a bit petty, she might have cursed Sakura for being Naruto's most important person.

Of course, she wasn't either of those things. All Hinata could do was hope for the best with the letter. She knew how excited he was, not only were his dreams of becoming Hokage coming true in a matter of hours, but he believed that he had a chance with the girl of his dreams.

And here she was, helping him out. Giving him up willingly.

_Yeah. I worry about myself, too._

_Sometimes_.

* * *

This was getting to be a problem. This entire visit was beginning to be one huge problem. 

_Maybe I should just read it?_

_What if it says something huge?_

_Something I can't face..._

_Ugh! Stop being such a coward, Sakura_!

Yup.

Once again, Haruno Sakura was faced with a dilemma.

It had been a few hours since she had left Naruto's apartment, running without stopping, to no place in particular. After relieving herself of some stress, she had gone back to her parent's house, only to be presented with a white envelope. Sakura couldn't imagine who the letter could be from, but figured that maybe it was some sort of formal letter from Tsunade. As she took the envelope in her hands, her stomach dropped upon finding out just how wrong she was.

As if the words "TO SAKURA-CHAN!" in huge orange letters hadn't been enough, her mom told her that Naruto had dropped the letter off not even a half hour before she had gotten back home.

_He even writes in orange..?_

That single note, and all the possibilities that came with it, is what led Sakura to her most recent problem. She knew she was being stupid and should have already read it by now, since it really couldn't be that big of a deal, but for some reason the note still lay there, unread.

On one hand, it could be something she doesn't want to read. It could be something that could make the situation worse than it already is. Then again, it could be something important that she needs to know.

_Why would he leave something so important in a note, though?_

_I can't take the chance._

With a deep sigh, and a desperate plea for strength, Sakura made up her mind. Running up the stairs and into her room, she walked across the small space and threw the envelope into the small trash can, not daring to give it a second thought.

_I'm sorry, Naruto_.

Just then, Sakura heard a loud knocking at the door. Within seconds, she could sense Temari making her way up the stairs, followed closely by another familiar chakra signature that could only be Shikamaru. Sakura smiled, took a deep breath, and greeted her friends.

* * *

Less than an hour away from when the ceremony will take place, Tsunade once found herself once again facing a certain red headed Kazekage. And once again, found her fingers tapping in frustration. 

She desperately wanted to strangle someone.

All demon containers seemed to have that effect on her.

It was officially hopeless.

"So you threw away my plan."

Tap, tap.

"And then you decided to come up with your own."

Tap, tap, tap.

"Which I see has more or less failed."

Tap, tap.

"So here I am, back at where we started, and this damn ceremony is now my last damn shot!"

Tap, tap, tap, tap-

Finally, the young Kazekage spoke.

"Actually, according to Temari, that isn't entirely correct"

And the tapping stopped.

Tsunade raised a single pale eyebrow, wondering if maybe, by chance, she had misunderstood something along the way. Might they have another shot, could that be what the boy had meant just now?

_Is it possible we aren't as screwed as I thought we were_?

"Please, Kazekage-sama, explain." Tsunade politely encouraged.

"You see," Gaara began, sounding as calm and detached as ever. "It would seem that Haruno-san is now refusing to attend the ceremony."

Just then, the majority of Konoha shook with the intensity of what felt like a catastrophic earthquake.

In reality, it was nothing more than a _very_ pissed off Godaime punching a hole through her desk, and into the floor of the office that would soon belong to one Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

Hinata, who had been waiting to speak with the Hokage for the past fifteen minutes, was caught complete off guard as the building she was in shook unexpectedly. It didn't take long at all for anyone to figure out from where the destruction had originated, since not long after, Tsunade's office door was kicked open by the furious blonde herself. 

"I'm going to beat them BOTH to an unidentifiable PULP for all the damn TROUBLE those two adolescent morons have put me through these past months!"

"Tsunade-sama, please, control yourself!" Shizune was frantic, trying to calm the Godaime, who was still standing in the doorway, a look of pure anger contorting her falsely youthful features.

"Why in the hell should I! I try to help them out, and look what happens! Ungrateful little bastards, all of them..."

"I agree, but please, this won't help! All of the village leaders are here. You must think of Konoha!"

That seemed to do the trick, as Tsunade fumed silently for a few more moments before taking a deep breath, bringing both hands up to rest on her temples. She looked exhausted, as if she hadn't slept properly in days.

"Come Tsunade-sama," Shizune began to lead the fatigued Hokage away. "Let's get something to eat, hmm?"

"Huh? Food...damn, I haven't eaten since that dango you brought me for lunch..."

"Dango...?" Shizune seemed stumped for a moment, before turning to Tsunade with a look of disbelief mixed with fear. "Ehh – that was two days ago! Are you serious?"

"Not now, Shizune."

"Ooh, I worry about you Tsunade-sama."

"Well, don't."

"I can't help it!"

"Try harder!"

The two continued to bicker down the hall as the remaining people outside of the demolished office stood collecting their thoughts, some even starting to clean up the mess.

_I suppose the must happen a lot_...

_I wonder if Naruto-kun will become stressed._

_I can understand her frustration..._

_But there is still a chance...if only a very small one_.

Hinata instantly regretted that she had been unable to catch Tsunade before she left with Shizune. She was hoping on updating her on the situation with Naruto, but had decided that with the Godaime's current mood when it came to the blonde, it wouldn't be a good time to mention it.

Hinata was still looking in the direction that Shizune and Tsunade had went, wondering if she should wait, leave a message with someone, or perhaps not tell the Hokage what happened at all. It seemed the woman had finally had enough of the whole mess, and the Hyuuga couldn't blame her.

All the while, Hinata was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she had yet to notice a pair of turquoise eyes that had been trained on her the entire time.

"Hyuuga-san?"

Hinata jumped slightly at being addressed so suddenly, and looked around to see two ANBU guards hovering over her.

"Yes?" Hinata answered, looking up at the falcon mask and the cat mask covering the faces of the two men.

"As you can see, the Hokage is busy at the moment. We must secure the area in preparation for the ceremony, so we're asking all those who do not have to be here to please leave the building immediately."

"You understand, correct?" The smaller man in the cat mask added, in a much less severe tone. "It's for the safety of the village leaders that are present, as well as the future Rokudaime" Hinata noticed he also seemed younger, and was likely her age if not a bit older. Looking him over quickly though, Hinata realized he wasn't one of her friends.

"Yes, of course. If I could only speak to a secretary, then-"

"Perhaps you misunderstood me, miss." The taller, older, and much more intimidating ANBU interrupted, sounding as stern as ever. "You must leave immediately. Now."

"Forgive me," Hinata began. Bowing quickly. "But Tsunade-sama will understand. This is urgent news, concerning-"

"That's enough, I apologize, Hyuuga-san, but there are certain precautions that we must take."

"Um, Excuse me, but what are you--" Hinata abruptly stopped talking as the tall ANBU advanced, closing a firm hand around her arm, shocking the young woman with his tight grasp.

_I understand security must be tight, but does he have to hold on so tight?_

_If only Neji-nii, Lee, or one of my other friends were guarding_...

Before the man had a chance to take more than one step, he froze. Hinata had been searching for someone she could leave word with, but turned as she felt the ANBU that was holding her come to an abrupt stop.

At first, it didn't make any sense at all. It wasn't until Hinata heard a strange sound coming from below did she understand what happened. She could see a small amount of sand covering the man's entire foot, as if it were holding him to the ground.

She kept her eyes on the sand, not wanting to look at the two ANBU, one of which was still gripping her arm tightly, and not daring to look in the direction of the Kazekage, who's sand was still wrapped around the man's foot.

For a moment, only a moment, all was silent. Then, he spoke.

"She's with me. Let her go."

Hinata would have gasped out loud, that is, if she could breathe. Here was Gaara, the Kazekage himself, with all of his power, seemingly defending her of all people. It wasn't as if she had ever personally known him, but she had heard so many stories from Naruto, and had come to respect him greatly. Of course, she also remembered what she saw in the Chuunin exams, and knew that he was someone you did not want to mess with.

_So why hasn't he let me go yet?_

_I don't want anyone to get hurt...Naruto says he isn't dangerous._

_But right now, I can almost feel his power closing in on us._

_It's frightening_.

"Ah, forgive me Kazekage-sama." The very man that had sounded so stern and intimidating was now apparently full of fear himself. "But I am on strict orders to have all-"

"Perhaps you misunderstood _me_." Gaara's voice was ice cold, and Hinata couldn't help but look at him, against her better judgment. He was more intimidating than he sounded. "Let her go, now. Release her, and I release you."

Hinata continued to gawk for a moment, amazed at the amount of sheer power she felt pouring off of the man. She had been around him before, when they were in the Chuunin exams, but hadn't remembered him being this frightening.

After a moment, Hinata finally felt the grip on her arm loosening. She looked up to see the tall ANBU lowering his hand. Shortly after that, the sand began to return to the large gourd strapped to the Kazekage's back. A moment of awkward silence came over the somewhat demolished area as Hinata bowed to the man in the falcon mask who merely shifted a bit before returning her bow with a small one of his own.

After the men had excused themselves in order to clear out any other people who weren't supposed to be there, Hinata turned to Gaara, who was watching the door the two men had left out of with a blank expression. Hinata couldn't imagine what was going through his mind; in fact, the entire situation she had just caught herself in was still such a mystery.

She studied Gaara for a moment longer than she should have, because before she knew it, she found his powerful gaze locked with hers. For a moment, she could only stare back, in awe of the young man standing before her.

_Such unbelievable strength he has._

_The Kazekage..._

_Oh no, what am I doing_?

"K-Kazekage-sama!" Hinata immediately broke out of the temporary trance she was in, bowing as fast and as low as she could. "I'm so sorry, I didn't – I'm so sorry!"

"You needn't apologize so profusely. You did nothing wrong."

_But...Isn't he at all angry that I didn't show him the proper respect_?

"Um, th-thank you, Kazekage-sama." Hinata bowed even deeper, if possible. "For b-before as well, thank you."

"Are you having difficulty speaking because you are that grateful, or because you are afraid of me?"

Hinata blinked, completely thrown off guard by his question. She finally straightened herself, coming out of the deep bow she had given in respect. She tried looking him in the eyes, but found that the floor was much easier to look at. His gaze was far too intense.

_How do I answer such a question_...?

_When I can't even look at him?_

Luckily, Gaara spoke up before she had a chance to say anything.

"Either way, it was foolish to apologize so many times. I got the message the first time. Unless you believed I was hard of hearing?"

"Oh, of course not, Kazekage-sama! I just wanted to make sure-"

"Alright then." Gaara's smooth voice cut in abruptly, not giving Hinata the chance the finish her sentence. "It would seem that the ceremony is beginning soon, yet before I leave I'd like you ask you a question."

"Yes?"

"Are you in love with Uzumaki Naruto?"

Hinata immediately lowered her head, looking at the floor with wide eyes. She felt as if she had been hit by a ton of bricks. Of all the questions in the world she had been expecting, that was not one of them. Quickly coming to the conclusion that she had nothing to lose, Hinata steeled herself, looking into the inquisitive eyes of the Kazekage.

"Yes. I am."

Gaara's expression didn't change, and Hinata didn't know if she should be glad or not. She didn't get a chance to think about it though, since the Kazekage spoke up once again, in that tone that demanded attention.

"Are you friends with Haruno Sakura?"

"Yes. She's...one of my best friends, Kazekage-sama."

"And are you are aware of their feelings for each other?"

_Oh my...he is blunt_.

"Yes. I...am aware." Hinata bowed her head, studying her nails closely.

"Would you support a relationship between the two?"

Hinata's head shot up, only to see that Gaara was now facing away from where she stood. Not that she believed he would have the answer or anything, but part of her really wanted to know why he was so interested. Not that Hinata would ask, not that she believed he would even answer.

_I can't say I want them to be together, that would be a lie._

_But Naruto-kun, in order to be happy, he needs to be with Sakura._

_I'm not enough, I've tried, and still..._

"I..." Hinata trailed off, not sure of what to say next. So she decided to say what had been true from the very beginning. "I want Naruto-kun to be happy. I need him to be happy."

"I see." Was all Gaara said as he turned back towards Hinata, walking in the direction of the large open doors behind where she stood.

She thought he was going to keep walking, but as he was right beside her, he handed Hinata a small white envelope that she instantly recognized.

"How did you-?"

"That's irrelevant. What's important is that the envelope is sealed. That, and Haruno-san refuses to attend the ceremony."

Hinata's eyes widened in realization as she turned the envelope around in her hand a few times, hoping that something was being overlooked. She hoped to find a smaller opening, some clue that maybe Sakura had read the letter that Naruto had poured all of his feelings into.

_If Sakura didn't read it...then that means..._

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata couldn't help but gasp, quickly turning around and running in the direction of the exit, not looking back and not thinking twice about what she had to do. As she ran out of the room, she could have sword she heard the Kazekage mumble something that sounded a bit like "what a strange girl." Hinata didn't even take a second thought to process it as she dashed through the hall.

The while envelope was clutched tightly in her hand as she ran through the building at top speeds. Looking at the time, she noticed that the ceremony would be starting in only 20 minutes, which meant that Naruto was still most likely waiting on top of that mountain for Sakura, who wasn't going to show.

Hinata ran through the dimly-lit streets of Konoha, passing a few people who were rushing to the ceremony, a couple of whom called out to her. She vaguely noticed that it had begun to rain, and that her clothes had become baggy, her hair sticking slightly to her face, but didn't care. At this point, there was nothing that Hinata could make herself stop for. There was something she had to do, and it had taken too long already.

_I've had enough of this..._

_Naruto-kun..._

_He's suffered enough, and it's not fair!_

Hinata kept running, taking the rooftops in order to get to her destination faster. She took extra care to push chakra to her feet to make sure she didn't slip on the wet roofs.

_Whether you like it or not..._

_I'm going to open your eyes for you, Sakura._

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hinata was standing outside of Sakura's door, breathing hard due to over exertion. She was wet, tired, and had used too much chakra enforcing her speeds and taking extra risks to prevent slipping. Resting both hands on her bent knees, Hinata steeled herself before taking a few deep breaths and standing upright.

Approaching Sakura's door, she knocked three times, listening closely for a response.

Silence.

Biting her bottom lip, Hinata desperately knocked a few more times, praying that Sakura would just open the door. She felt as if she was going to faint from all of the pressure, and hoped that her inner strength could hold on for just a little while longer.

Shortly after the third knock, Hinata could sense someone coming down the stairs. It didn't take long for her to recognize the chakra. Taking a deep breath, Hinata stood up straight, steeled her nerves, and watched the door swing open.

The first thing she noticed was how Sakura was slightly tanned, and looked older, somehow. More mature. She also appeared to be tired, perhaps more mentally than physically, which made her look a bit older than she should have. Sill, despite everything, there was that aura of strength. That flash of beauty. That special something that made Sakura who she was.

'_Confidence, Hyuuga._'

As those words came back to her, Hinata found herself walking closer to Sakura until the two were only a couple of feet apart. Neither had spoken a word yet. It didn't matter. To Hinata, only one thing mattered right now.

"He's waiting."

"Hinata?" Sakura gasped after a moment. "What on earth – what are you doing here? You're gonna get sick, you're soaking wet."

"He's waiting." Hinata repeated, staring Sakura right in the eyes, not backing down an inch.

"What are you talking about? Who's waiting?"

At that, Hinata sniffed, reaching into her deep pockets to get the small letter that was miraculously still dry. She pulled it out, and extended her arm, offering the letter to Sakura.

"Oh..." Sakura muttered weakly, and Hinata saw realization dawn on her face. "I – I can't. I'm sorry, but-"

"Sakura...please." Hinata begged, pushing the letter forward once again. "Please, just read it."

"I told you, I can't." Sakura sighed exasperatedly, lowering her head and running one hand through her pink hair. "Look, just come inside, ok? It's raining hard, and you're wet enough as it is."

Sakura reached out to grab the hand of Hinata's that wasn't holding the white note out and gently pulled, turning around to walk inside of her house. Hinata took a deep breath, biting her bottom lip as she planted her feet to the ground, not letting Sakura lead her inside. The pink-haired Jounin quickly turned around, looking at Hinata questioningly.

"Um..." Sakura began, sounding unsure of the situation. She gently dropped Hinata's hand, crossing her arms with a worried expression. "Why won't you come inside?"

Hinata shifted her feet a bit and pushed the letter forward once more, looking Sakura right in the eyes.

"You haven't read it yet, Sakura. And, and - you can't keep..." Hinata trailed off, taking a deep breath. "Please, just read the letter."

Hinata could notice that Sakura was getting a bit frustrated as they stood there. Hinata was still dripping, holding the letter out, her resolve as firm as ever.

_Get angry._

_It's alright._

_Just please stop running away_!

"I can't do that."

"...yes, yes you can. It's-"

"I CAN'T!" Sakura yelled. Hinata jumped, instinctively taking a few steps back.

"I'm sorry..." Sakura took a deep breath, sounding tired and weak. "But I can't."

The two just stood there, their eyes meeting once again in a silent challenge. Hinata could tell that Sakura wanted her to leave, to just let it go and forget about everything.

That wasn't going to happen, though. That was the one thing she refused to do.

Before thinking twice about it, Hinata brought her hands together and began gently opening the letter, keeping eye contact with Sakura the entire time. A mixture of emotions came across the pink-haired Jounin's face. Shock, fear, sadness and something else that Hinata couldn't identify.

Taking a few steps closer to Sakura, Hinata hastily pulled away the wet strands of hair that were blocking her vision. Looking at Sakura one last time, she took a deep breath, and began to read.

"Dear Sakura-chan,"

"Hinata, please-" Sakura almost sounded desperate, but Hinata knew that she had to do this.

"I'm sorry about before. I didn't mean to freak you out, but you were back after a long time," Hinata could hear Sakura beginning to interrupt again but raised her voice a little. "and, well, you know? Look, I'm kinda having a hard time here," Hinata swallowed hard, continuing. "So, I just hope you get what I'm trying to say. I suck at stuff like this, you know that."

"Hinata, that's enough!" Sakura yelled. "I didn't ask you to read that, and-"

"I guess I'll just come out and say it, then." Hinata interrupted and kept reading, even as her voice began to shake and the tears began to slowly well up in her eyes. "The truth is, I've always" a deep, rattling breath. "I've always waited for you Sakura-chan. When you went away to Suna, I stayed here, and I waited. I'm still waiting."

At this, Hinata looked Sakura straight in the eyes. The other girl looked stunned, and could only gaze back at Hinata, her mouth opening and closing slightly.

Hinata took a deep breath and continued, looking back down at the letter.

"Maybe that makes me an idiot, I dunno. The one thing I do know is that I'd probably wait forever," She couldn't hold it anymore as a single sob wracked her body as she closed her eyes, letting the tears run down her still slightly wet face. "But I know that's kinda stupid, huh? I think I might be a bit tired of waiting for you. But the truth is," The dark haired girl smiled sadly, taking a moment to glance up at Sakura, who still looked to be in shock. "even if I did get with some perfect girl, and had lots of babies and stuff, I would still be waiting for you."

Hinata felt the sobs finally begin to subside. Her body was still shaking, but she knew she couldn't stop now, even if she wanted to. It felt good, to finally speak up, and say things that needed to be said.

"Some stubborn damn part of me won't let go, but I think I gotta give up, be realistic. The old hag said I've grown up lately; maybe she's right, huh?" Hinata could see Sakura lower her head upon hearing this, and took a few steps closer; making sure that the other girl heard the next part.

Sniffing hard, and clearing her throat, Hinata looked Sakura straight in the eyes, gathering all of her courage to hold the intense gaze. She noticed that a few tears had already run down Sakura's face, and that her eyes were watery, filled with emotion. Taking a deep breath, Hinata lowered her head, reading in a calm and steady voice.

"Look, just meet me on the top of the Hokage Mountain before the ceremony, alright? So we can talk about stuff. If you don't show up, I'll understand. And I won't hold it against you."

Hinata folded the letter with care, handing it to Sakura, who looked at it for a moment without taking it, then closed her eyes, allowing a few more silent tears to fall.

"Number one ninja in Konoha," Hinata felt her lip begin to tremble as she watched Sakura stand there, helpless against all of the emotions that she knew must have been going through her. "Uzumaki Naruto."

The both stood there, Hinata still holding the letter out, watching Sakura pull herself together at her front door, which was still open. The rain had begun to lessen up, and was now reduced to a light sprinkle. The streets were deserted due to the ceremony, and all that could be heard was water dripping off of rooftops and the occasional sniffs from the two girls, who said nothing to each other.

A minute or so went by before Hinata remembered that she was there for a reason, and that at least ten minutes must have gone by since she arrived.

_Oh no...he's still waiting...in the rain!_

_Naruto-kun...!_

"Sakura..." Hinata began, closely watching the pink-haired Jounin, who jumped at being addressed so suddenly. "What are you going to do?"

Sakura only stared back, obviously thinking hard about something as Hinata waited, hoping that Naruto was alright. Sakura took a deep breath, moving out of her doorway to address Hinata, who took a deep breath of her own, feeling her stomach twist in anticipation.

"Hinata..."

"Yes?"

"I..."

* * *

Naruto was wet. 

He was also tired, nervous, scared, excited, and completely late for his own ceremony.

Of course, that last part was the least of his worries.

Right now all that mattered to the blonde was whether or not a certain girl would show up to accept his feelings, for better or for worse.

_Sakura-chan..._

_Where are you...?_

The blonde had been waiting for nearly two hours now, pacing back and forth the entire time. Until of course, it began to rain, at which point he huddled up to the nearest large boulder, wishing he had worn something other than his nicest clothes.

Which were now wet, slightly dirty, and completely uncomfortable.

With all of that going on, Naruto could still only think about Sakura. If Sakura was coming, what she would say, how she would look at him. He already had everything planned out, knew what he was going to say to her, and didn't care about explaining all of it to Tsunade. The cold didn't matter, the puddle he was sitting in didn't matter, in fact, he barely noticed it at all.

All that mattered was Sakura.

The rain had slowed down to a sprinkle as he sat next to the large boulder, shivering, waiting for any sign of her approach.

Before long, he finally heard loud, wet footsteps coming closer. Taking a deep breath, and trying as hard as he could to rid himself of the butterflies in his stomach, Naruto stood up, turning in the direction of the approaching footsteps.

_Where is she?_

_Oh!_

_Is that..._

He blinked a few times, but still, all he could see was Hinata running towards him with her head down.

_I don't understand..._

_I guess Hinata decided to come along as well..?_

_Yeah. That's it._

As the dark haired Hyuuga got closer, Naruto craned his neck, trying to look behind her to see if perhaps Sakura had fallen behind. It was the only explanation he could come to.

"Hey, Hinata-chan! Did you come here with Sakura-chan?" Naruto cheerfully asked, shaking the excess water out of his hair.

Hinata stared at him with a sad expression, not saying anything. Her eyes only stayed on his for a few moments before she lowered her head once again.

"Hey, are you okay?" Naruto went closer to where she was standing but stopped when Hinata nodded twice, quickly turning her face away.

It didn't make any sense to him. She should have already been here by now...

"Damn Sakura-chan, she's taking forever!" Naruto smiled uneasily, trying to ignore the feeling of dread that was creeping up on him.

_She'll be here soon._

_She has to come..._

_She's coming..._

_She has to._

"She's...not coming, Naruto-kun."

Hinata kept her head turned away, not wanting to look at Naruto. Just hearing the hopeful tone in his voice was already threatening to crush her. She didn't want to do this; she would give anything to not have to do this.

It simply wasn't right.

"Damn Sakura-chan, she's taking forever!" Naruto said, and Hinata could almost hear the doubt in his voice. She knew that deep down inside, he had to have figured it out by now.

Naruto isn't stupid, that much Hinata was sure of.

_He's in denial_.

"She's...not coming, Naruto-kun." Hinata mumbled, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Naruto questioned, disbelievingly. "She read the note, right?"

Hinata could only nod, not trusting her voice.

"Well then, where is she?" Hinata could hear the slight panic in his voice, sending a sharp pain through her chest.

"Um...she doesn't-" Hinata lowered her head, looking at the wet, muddy ground.

"Doesn't what?" Naruto cut Hinata off, sounding frantic. He closed in on her and put both hands lightly on her shoulders, hunching over and straining his neck to look at her face. "What did she say? Please, tell me, Hinata-chan! What happened, huh?"

_I can't!_

"S-she...um..." Hinata began, having trouble getting the words to come out. They were there, but they were far too difficult for her to say.

"Yeah?"

"Um...it's just..."

"What?"

"I..." Hinata trailed off, finally looking Naruto in the eyes.

Hope.

All she could see in his eyes at that moment was a desperate hope so strong she felt she could drown in it. She could tell that he was clinging to it desperately, as if he already knew the answer to his question, but didn't want to believe it.

She could almost feel him begging her; hear his silent pleas for something, anything that he could hold onto that would lead him out of whatever dark place he was in.

And if Hinata had the power to do something like that, nothing could stop her.

Unfortunately, this was reality.

And she had no choice.

"Naruto-kun." No matter how hard she tried, Hinata couldn't stop her voice from shaking. "I'm sorry."

Hinata felt Naruto's hands tighten slightly, and could see his body go rigid in front of her. His eyes had closed, and she was grateful for that. She loved those eyes, and seeing pain in them was something that she simply couldn't endure. No amount of strength could make that any easier.

Naruto lowered his head, his hands clutching onto her shoulders so hard it made Hinata wince inwardly, but she still stood in front of him, letting him know she was there for him.

_It's all I can offer you, Naruto-kun_.

_It's all you'll ever accept_.

"I..." Naruto finally spoke, his eyes opening slowly, meeting Hinata's gaze. "I lied."

"Hm?" Hinata pressed, noticing his grip lessen slightly.

"I told her that I-" The blonde cleared his throat harshly. "That I would understand."

Hinata felt her lip begin to quiver, suddenly she couldn't see Naruto as clearly anymore, the tears in her eyes blurring her vision.

"And I don't." His voice sounded so dead, so emotionless, that Hinata couldn't help but feel at least a bit frightened. "I just don't."

Before the blonde could do or say anything, Hinata pulled him into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around his back and not letting go. His clothes was still dripping, but it made no difference since she was in the same condition. She could feel his body stiffen for a moment before he finally relaxed in her arms.

It was a couple more minutes before Naruto's own arms closed around her shoulders tightly as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

No words were spoken.

* * *

"WHERE IS THAT DAMN RUNT!" 

_BAM_!

In unison, everyone in the stadium either jumped, screamed, looked for the source of the disturbance, or didn't do a thing, since they were used to it by now.

"Tsunade-sama, please! You're frightening the guests!" Shizune was as frantic as ever, following the Godaime who was now pacing back and forth across the balcony as she awaited the future Rokudaime.

Who was now fifteen minutes late.

_This is horrible!_

"To hell if I care!" Tsunade roared, kicking a hole in the nearest wall. "I swear, if that damn BRAT isn't here in the next five minutes, I'm giving the title to someone else!"

"Ehh?" Shizune stared at the rampaging Hokage in shock. "You know you can't do that, Tsunade-sama!"

"I'm the Hokage, I'll do whatever I damn well please!" That being said, Tsunade turned to the nearest ANBU. "YOU!"

The tall ANBU jumped at being addressed so suddenly, and then bowed quickly before standing as straight as humanly possible. Shizune could have sworn she heard something in his back crack, and decided to check on it later.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Go find the Kazekage, tell him I need to speak with him immediately, and that it is urgent."

Another quick bow and the man left the room before Shizune could even blink once. Before she could blink twice, a swirl of sand appeared in the room, quickly draining away to reveal the Kazekage.

_That was fast._

"That was fast." Tsunade repeated Shizune's thoughts, looking at Gaara strangely.

"I had a feeling that you needed me for something." The red-headed man answered calmly, apparently not being affected by the anxiety charged atmosphere.

"I'm sure." Tsunade responded, looking a bit skeptical. "You are aware of how weird that third eye jutsu of yours is, right?"

_Ahh, of course! That makes sense..._

"I am aware."

"Well then, that's fortunate." Tsunade cracked a few knuckles loudly.

"I'm sure it is."

Shizune could almost hear a vein popping out of the blonde's forehead and decided to intervene before things got too hard for the Godaime. She was aware of how much the Kazekage, Sasuke, and Naruto usually annoyed Tsunade. And right now was certainly not a good time.

"Kazekage-sama, thank you so much for coming!" Shizune stood in front of Tsunade, bowing deeply.

"May I ask why I was needed here in the first place?"

"Well," Shizune began, sounding as nervous as she felt. "You see-"

"Do you know where Naruto is, Kazekage-sama?" Tsunade interrupted, pushing Shizune out of the way. She crossed both of her slender arms, watching the young Kazekage carefully. He was silent for a moment, his expressionless eyes boring into Tsunade's impatient ones.

"No." He finally answered.

"Damnit!" Tsunade cursed, whipping around and walking a short distance in order to lean against the balcony of the large arena.

It was the same open-air arena that the Chuunin exams were held in, only this time, instead of an empty area, the bottom was now filled with seats, going up in a stadium-style seating arrangement. This was necessary in order for most of the villagers to attend. The seats faced the upper seating, which is where special guests, family, and those invited from other hidden villages sat.

"Hokage-sama," Gaara called out suddenly. "I do have some information that may be of some use to you."

Shizune looked from one to the other. The Kazekage's eyes were closed, and he seemed to be in deep concentration. Tsunade on the other hand, seemed to be getting more impatient and curious as the seconds passed.

"Information, huh?"

Shizune saw Gaara's eyes open quickly, and could have sworn she saw a tiny flicker in his eyes, but it was gone before she could make sure.

"Yes. Although, I sense someone coming now who may be able to give you more information on the situation then myself."

"Really?" Tsunade sounded thoroughly intrigued. "Who might that be?"

"Hyuuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

Sakura was tired. Again. 

It had been about a half hour since Hinata had left, understandably upset. Sakura was laying in her bed, going over what had happened for the third time. It still seemed so unreal, as if it was some kind of dream.

Hinata had come, in the rain, with that letter she thought she had thrown away. How it ended up in her hands was a mystery to Sakura.

More shocking than that, was what the letter said. Lying on her stomach, her chip propped up on a white pillow, all Sakura could think about was the letter. She could almost hear Naruto speaking those heartfelt words.

'_I've always waited for you Sakura-chan.'_

'_I'm still waiting.'_

'_I think I might be a bit tired of waiting for you.'_

'_I think I gotta give up, be realistic.'_

'_Meet me on the top of the Hokage Mountain before the ceremony, alright?'_

'_If you don't show up, I'll understand.'_

'_I'll understand.'_

'_I'm still waiting.'_

'_I think I might be a bit tired of waiting for you' _

'_I think I gotta give up, be realistic.'_

'_I'm still waiting.'_

'_Still waiting.'_

"ARGH!" Sakura screamed into her pillow, hoping to release some of her frustration. All of the thoughts racing through her head, his voice, his face, his smile, all of it was threatening to suffocate her alive.

Naruto is Konoha, and Konoha is Naruto. She had to have been crazy to think she could ever make it through this. Sakura honestly didn't think it would be this difficult, this unbearable. She now came to the realization that she really isn't as strong as she thought she was.

She lost.

All along, Sakura thought she was losing Naruto, but she now realized that wasn't true. He was always there, and apparently, he was always waiting for her, and only for her. She was first too stupid to care, then too blind to accept it. If only she had stopped everything earlier, told Hinata about her feelings for Naruto, and apologized.

None of this would have happened.

_Unfortunately, the past can't be changed. _

_God, now I sound like Neji used to..._

_But it's true._

_How did it get so bad_?

One thing was still true about the situation, though. In all the confusion, mistakes, and misunderstandings, one thing was still constant.

Sakura knew now more than ever that she didn't deserve him.

And that she really didn't belong in Konoha anymore.

_The longer I'm here...there longer he'll wait._

_It's time for both of us to finally move on, once and for all._

Her mind made up, Sakura kicked the blankets off that she had covered herself in, and got out of bed, moving to stand in the middle of the room. She hadn't brought much from Suna, so it only took her a few moments to get everything back together.

She knew Gaara would probably be furious, but she hoped that maybe Temari would understand and help her out. She couldn't stay here much longer, especially not during the ceremony and celebration. It would hurt too much to for them to see each other right now.

Trying her hear back and putting on a dark blue coat, Sakura made her way down the stairs, stopping only to leave a note behind for her parents once they returned from the festivities. She wanted to say goodbye to them, but didn't want to risk it by going to the ceremony herself.

Looking around one last time, Sakura grabbed her stuff and opened the door, only to be blocked by none other than her own former sensei, the Godaime herself.

Sakura looked the older woman in the eyes, and instantly regretted it. She was met with a fierce mixture of disappointment, anger, frustration, and annoyance. Tsunade still said nothing, both hands on her waist, staring down as Sakura with a small frown.

_She really can be scarier than Gaara..._

_What could she want?_

"Oh – um, Tsunade-sama, what-what a surprise!" Sakura smiled weakly, not liking the fact that Tsunade had yet to speak or even move since coming face to face with her.

It couldn't be a good thing.

When Tsunade still didn't say anything, Sakura began to speak instead, shifting uncomfortably.

"Shouldn't you be at the, the um, ceremony?" Sakura almost whimpered as the blonde's expression darkened. "Oh, alright. Well, I have to go right now, so-"

"Stay."

"Huh?" Sakura took an unsteady step back into her house, tightening her grip on the doorknob that she hadn't realized she had yet to let go of.

Tsunade then smiled dangerously, sending a small chill down Sakura's spine.

_I know that smile!_

_I wonder if I can make a run for it..._

"I said," Tsunade brought one finger up to the pink-haired Jounin's chest, and with a single tap sent her flying back into the house. "Stay."

Sakura was pushed back with enough force to send her flying into the far living room wall, her body connecting with a loud crashing sound. She immediately hit the floor with a dull thud, groaning in pain.

"Sakura," Tsunade began conversationally, walking into the house and closing the door behind her. "We need to talk."

* * *

A/N: Ok, so Tsunade was a bit forceful. Well, she's pissed, frustrated, and tired. How would you feel? Don't worry, she's not gonna hit her again, she really just wants to talk.Well, anyways... what a long chapter! Did you guys enjoy it? I really hope so, and I hope this makes up for the delay. I personally HATE waiting for stuff, I have zero patience. 

For example, I think I'm gonna explode before Thursday rolls around and I can finally get my grubby little virtual paws on Chapter 307 of Naruto. Finally, tons ofstuff is actually happening! Now, if only the fillers would end, everything would be perfect...

**Chapter 22**: I don't know why, but lately, I can hardly ever write decently. I have chronic writers block or something. I'll try my hardest though, since this story MUST end soon. It's killing me!

Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone!


	22. Godaime's fury

A/N: There is nothing I can say – I'm so very sorry it took so long. It's just, this chapter...this story is getting SO hard to write. But the good news is this is the second to the last chapter. Then an epilogue, of course...

It's gonna be such a bittersweet moment when I finish -a bit depressing, actually. I'd rather think about the 40+ reviews I got for the last chapter ALONE...you guys kick ass! Thank you so much for all of your reviews! You keep this story going, and brighten up my day. I deeply appreciate each and every word of encouragement, critiques, and comments, all of it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Please try to enjoy. I did my best, and I know it isn't that great, but this was by far the most difficult chapter yet. Thanks to one of my awesome pre-readers Sylvia for pre-reading and helping name the chapter for me...I was creatively dead once I finished writing it! Thanks!

And I'm very sorry it took so long!

* * *

"Ts-tsunade-sama?" Sakura groaned, moving to stand back up on her feet. 

Before she knew it was happening, Sakura found the imposing figure of the Godaime standing right in front of her, that scary grin still plastered to her face.

"I need to discuss something with you, Sakura." Tsunade said, as casual as could be. "And I'm pressed for time at the moment, so if you could just sit," With that, she lightly tapped Sakura's shoulders, sending the young woman flat on her butt onto the ground, breaking a few of the old hardwood panels in the floor.

"Gah...!" Sakura groaned in pain, knowing that something in her body was either broken or very badly bruised.

"I'd be eternally grateful." The brutally strong blonde finished, bringing both hands up to rest on her waist.

Sakura could only look up at the woman, who had now begun to pace back and forth before her prone and slightly battered figure. Sakura wanted to get up and run, avoid whatever Tsunade had to say since it really couldn't be good. But now, running was no longer an option.

_My ass...owww..._

_What does she want from me...?_

_This obviously has something to do with Naruto._

_Why can't everyone just understand that I'm no good for him and let us both move on?_

_We aren't supposed to be together._

"I am the Hokage."

Sakura's brows furrowed in confusion. Besides stating a widely known fact, the woman had done so with a look on her face that screamed 'this makes no sense'. Whatever Sakura had expected Tsunade to say, that wasn't it.

"I am The Godaime of Konoha village."

Sakura nodded dumbly, unsure if it was alright to talk yet. Tsunade had yet to look at her, and was still pacing back and forth, not showing any signs of slowing.

"Do you know why I shouldn't be the Hokage, Sakura?" Tsunade questioned, finally standing in one place to look at the confused pink-haired nin sitting on the floor.

Sakura shook her head, completely at a loss.

"Because," Tsunade began, resuming her agitated pacing. "I am, by nature, a little bit of a selfish person. I like to gamble, drink sake, and I don't like brats. In fact, I can't tolerate brats, loud people, and overconfidence. So you can imagine how utterly annoyed I was when I met someone who encompassed all of these things a few years back."

Sakura had a strong feeling she knew who Tsunade was talking about, since she was aware of the story of Naruto and Jiraiya's search for the female sannin. The one thing that left her looking and feeling completely confused was where her mentor could possibly be going with all of this.

"As you may have guessed, I'm talking about the little blonde bastard himself, Uzumaki Naruto." Sakura's eyes widened considerably. "The one-and-only, number one, hyperactive perpetual pain in my ass since day one."

_O...kay_?

"One thing about Naruto struck me that first meeting we had, and it was how much the boy cared. He cared for god knows what reason about everything and everyone." Tsunade chuckled lightly, a wistful expression coming over her face. "And I wrote him off as some over-confident brat who didn't deserve my respect."

Sakura lowered her head, biting her bottom lip in thought. She knew what Tsunade was talking about. At first glance, or even second, third, fiftieth glance, Naruto seemed like the type that was all talk. Some people, like Hinata and Iruka, seemed to see Naruto for who he was right away. Whereas people like herself, Tsunade, and countless others had to learn.

_Another reason I don't deserve you, Naruto_.

"You see," Tsunade's voice snapped Sakura out of her thoughts and she lifted her head, only to see the woman actually crouching in front of her with a serious expression. "Naruto earned my respect, and he is going to make a great Hokage because unlike me he has the ability to love -- unconditionally, unselfishly, and indiscriminately."

A short silence came between the two women as they looked each other in the eyes unflinchingly. Tsunade's gaze was intense, and as much as Sakura wanted to look away, she couldn't. Part of her was frozen in place while the other part was simply tired of running away.

"Unfortunately, this means that Naruto even loves those who aren't as deserving as others." There was a sudden edge to the blonde's tone that made Sakura almost shudder. It was the cold, brutal, and honest truth coming from someone she admired greatly.

Which Sakura found hurt much more than the woman's fist ever could.

"And while he may be a bit of a moron," Tsunade continued, still fixing Sakura with her gaze. "He is one hell of an amazing little moron, who deserves to be loved in return."

_I know._

_But not by someone like me_.

There was another deafening silence. A full minute passed before Sakura realized that the other woman was waiting for her to say something. For a split second, she considered lying, telling the Godaime that she wasn't in love with Naruto, and keeping up the act that had seemingly fooled Hinata in this very house all those months ago. It would be so easy to fall back into that pattern and reject the urge to be honest just this last time.

But...

Maybe it was because the situation was blown out of proportion enough already.

Maybe it was because her intense feelings for Naruto were finally getting the best of her.

Maybe it was because Tsunade was glaring in that way that made you want to spill your guts if only to make her stop.

For whatever reason, at that moment Sakura felt compelled to come clean. If there was someone out there, one person in the world she could be completely honest with it was the woman standing in front of her right now. The idea that it would get to Naruto didn't even cross her mind once. In fact, the only thing Sakura could feel was the compelling urge to scream her frustration out over the situation she managed to find herself in.

She was trapped.

And the chance to run might be long gone...

But she wouldn't scream.

Not yet.

"Tsunade-sama," Sakura was relieved that her voice betrayed her inner turmoil. She almost sounded calm, if not a little shaken. "I agree. Naruto does deserve love, probably more than a lot of us."

Tsunade smiled.

Sakura shook her head faintly. "But not from me."

The smile disappeared, replaced instantly by a deep frown.

"And why is that?" Sakura could feel the anger coming off of the woman in waves.

"I don't deserve him. It's that simple" Sakura sighed. "And I'm tired of people telling me otherwise-"

"Well don't worry about getting that crap from me," Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she crouched down once again to meet Sakura face to face. "I am well aware of the fact that you don't deserve Naruto."

Sakura stared blankly at the woman. "Then why are you...if you don't..." she trailed off hopelessly, not knowing what to say.

"I'm here because I care about the brat." Tsunade answered. "The same brat who came to me not more than ten minutes ago, wet and shaking from standing on top of that goddamn monument in the rain!" The blonde bellowed, breaking even more floorboards with her fist.

Sakura's eyes widened and she could only bow her head in shame at Tsunade's words. It hadn't occurred to her until just now that Naruto had been up there during the rain. She had figured that he would have gone inside at that point, given up on her.

_He waited for me in the rain_...?

_But...why_?

At that moment, she could hardly imagine what Naruto must have felt like up there, hoping and waiting for her even as it began to rain. She remembered the blonde telling her how much he hated the rain ever since that battle with Sasuke at the Valley of the End. Even with that, he had still waited for her like he said he would in the letter.

_And waited..._

_And I never came_.

Never before had Sakura thought it possible to feel as guilty as she did now.

"You know," Tsunade began. "If I had my choice, I probably would have chosen someone like that Hyuuga girl to be with the runt." Sakura whipped her head up to look at the Hokage, who had a mischievous glint in her eyes, a small smirk playing about her features. Sakura quickly looked away. "Who knows? Given time, the kid could learn to love her instead...that would be for the best, wouldn't you agree, Sakura?"

Sakura could do nothing but nod weakly, still not looking Tsunade in the eyes for fear that the truth would be too clear to the older woman. She knew that it was bait, knew that Tsunade was waiting for some jealous outburst - but she wouldn't play along.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. That would be for the best."

"My ass it would!"

Before Sakura could even sense the movement, Tsunade's hand had quickly come up to her face. The pink-haired Jounin couldn't help but flinch before realizing that the blonde was simply reaching up to grab her chin between two slender fingers and a thumb. Sakura was forced to look face to face, eye to eye, with the intimidating Hokage.

"I am very disappointed in you, Sakura. After all this, it appears that you are still just a child." The words were harsh and precise, with just the right edge to make Sakura know the Godaime was deathly serious. "Instead of dealing with things head on like an adult, you run away, lying to yourself and everyone else. You are stubborn, willful, can be beyond ignorant, and have no idea what love really is!"

Sakura tightened her lips, wanting nothing more than to turn away, but found that as she struggled, the grip on her chin only tightened even more. There was already a dull pain reaching to her jaw and all she could do was wince. Her breath was coming in gasps, and she could already feel the tightening in her chest signaling the coming onslaught of tears.

She didn't want to hear these things, didn't need to hear any of it.

And she _refused_ to cry in front of Tsunade.

"If someone like Naruto is willing to love your sorry ass, then accept it! Cherish it!" Tsunade was almost yelling at this point. "You are a shinobi, Sakura, meaning that tomorrow is not guaranteed." Sakura could see a fire burning in Tsunade's eyes that almost frightened her.

_Cherish it_...

"Maybe you're right, Tsunade-sama." Sakura hated how her voice shook, but couldn't help it. "Maybe I should be happy, glad, and thankful that someone like Naruto would want to be with someone like _me_. So, say I were to accept his feelings and go to him and say we do get together, what then?"

Tsunade was frowning, her grip on Sakura's chin not lessening as she raised a single pale eyebrow in question.

"It wouldn't work. I'm Haruno Sakura. That's all I am, and that's all I can be. I have nothing special to offer Naruto," Sakura couldn't stop her voice from rising, the emotion in her tone thickening as each word was spoken. "I'm not even that good of a person! He's-"

Sakura never got to finish that sentence, because at that moment an open palm had come across her face, not hard, but just enough to shock her speechless.

Tsunade had never slapped her before.

She's been thrown, pushed, shoved, and even punched a few times by her mentor and former teacher, but...

But this...this was different.

It was demeaning, and it shook Sakura to her core.

_What the hell..._

_Why?_

The pink-haired Jounin didn't even have to ask the question out loud.

"I am so tired of this." For the first time, Tsunade's voice truly sounded weary.

Sakura had brought a hand to her cheek, her eyes still blinking a few times in shock. Her face was turned away from the other woman, but it was clear that the Godaime was now standing.

"You and Naruto both mean a lot to me, and I've worked my ass off these past few months trying to make you two happy for the good of this village, and the good of you both." Sakura slowly turned her head, looking at Tsunade's black shoes, not able to look the woman in the eyes yet. "And it's annoying the hell out of me," The blonde continued. "You just don't understand, do you?"

At those words, Sakura lifted her head, daring herself to look the woman in the eyes. What she saw was a rare display of open warmth from the powerful Hokage. It almost took her breath away.

"Can I ask you something, and get an honest, straight answer from you in return?" Once again, Tsunade got down on one knee in order to address Sakura more personally.

The pink-haired Jounin wasn't sure what to expect, but what Tsunade had said a little bit ago was true, and it was bothering her. She had been lying to everyone for so long. It had to come to an end eventually, if only this once. If only she could be honest this once, with someone who wouldn't judge her or make fun of her. It might be alright, she herself might be alright.

"Ok..." Sakura mumbled.

"Are you in love with Naruto?"

Sakura couldn't say anything, she couldn't even blink. She simply stared back at Tsunade's scrutinizing gaze with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing helplessly. She knew that she should have seen this question coming from a mile away. It was the same one she got from Hinata, the one she had dodged too easily that day. This time, evading that question won't come as easy. Sakura was sure of that much.

_Didn't I already answer that by saying I wasn't good enough?_

_What more does she want?_

"You've told me that you don't deserve him, that you have nothing to offer him," Tsunade calmly stated, as if reading her former student's mind. "But you've never once told me how you feel about him, directly."

"I know." Sakura admitted, willing her own voice to stop shaking.

"Good." Tsunade closed her eyes, smiling softly and nodding her head once. "So I'll ask you again." Hey eyes opened. "Are you or are you not in love with Naruto?" The serious look was back as she gazed down at Sakura.

"Because if you aren't," Tsunade continued, not giving the younger woman a chance to answer. "And if all this has been one big misunderstanding on our parts, then I'll let you leave. I'll allow you to go back to Suna. Hell, I'll even cover for you for the Kazekage." Sakura could only stare at Tsunade helplessly, not knowing how to respond.

"But know this, Sakura." A single index finger of the Godaime's rose in front of Sakura's vision. "If you are in love with him, and you give him up for some idiotic reason like the ones you've presented me with tonight, then you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Sakura gulped, blinking hard as Tsunade continued, unrelenting in her speech. She could feel her chest tightening at the blonde's words, her resolve crumbling with each passing second, but couldn't stop herself from absorbing everything that was said.

"And as far as Naruto deserving someone with a bloodline, or money, or better looks...well, you know how that goes, right?"

Sakura could only look at Tsunade questioningly, not knowing what her mentor could mean by that. After a few moments of tense silence, the older woman sighed exasperatedly, shaking her head in dismay.

"You used to be in love with the Uchiha, correct?" Sakura nodded, grimacing slightly upon remembering just how infatuated she was with her black-haired teammate. "Well, say you did have feelings for Naruto, some might wonder why you would want him now instead of Sasuke."

Sakura looked away from Tsunade, choosing to set her gaze on the broken floorboards instead as she thought harder about what Tsunade was saying.

_That's easy..._

_Naruto is so different from Sasuke, in every way._

_There is no comparison, no point in wondering who is better_.

_Naruto would always win_.

"Just look at the Uchiha." Tsunade continued while Sakura's head was lowered. "He's got it all. Looks, money, strength, status, not to mention that bloodline. He's even gotten over that inferiority complex of his. Who wouldn't choose him over Naruto, right? It really is a no-brainer-"

Sakura whipped her head up to look at the smiling Hokage, and before she knew what she was doing, before she could think twice about the repercussions, the words had already left her mouth. "None of that matters! Naruto is bett--!" Sakura slapped a hand over her mouth, effectively cutting herself off as her green eyes widened in shock.

Tsunade was now sporting a full blown grin. The woman had laid out the bait, and Sakura had taken it without thinking twice.

_I'm such an idiot_.

"Doesn't it though?"

Sakura stared at Tsunade with furrowed brows for a few moments, before slowly inching her hand away from her still-covered up mouth. "W-what?"

"You see, Naruto could have someone like Hinata. Instead, he wants you. The same way you could want him instead of someone like Sasuke. Do you understand now?"

It made sense to Sakura, but she didn't want to accept it. Part of her was afraid to accept it, because it meant accepting that everything up to now had been in vain. Had she really put Naruto and herself through all this for nothing?

_No, that can't be it._

_There's more to it than this._

_There has to be_!

"B-but, Tsunade-sama," Sakura began desperately. "Sasuke – he doesn't love me, he never did. If Naruto can have someone like Hinata, then why not?"

"Because he doesn't WANT Hinata!" Tsunade snapped, standing up to her full height and glaring down at Sakura. "He wants YOU! It makes no sense to me either, but the kid won't give you up. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and suck it up, because I am going to ask you one last time, and this time, I want a goddamn answer!"

Sakura gulped, she could only bite her lip and close her eyes tightly, praying for some type of strength that would help her through this. She knew what Tsunade was about to ask, and also knew that the Godaime most-likely already knew the answer.

What she wanted was for Sakura to admit it out loud, because in doing so, she would have to take some sort of action. There would be no more running away from what she wanted most, no more hiding her feelings. Tsunade would make sure of that.

Of course, Sakura knew that she could always just say she doesn't love him, lie once and for all. Go back to Suna and never return to Konoha. Seeing Naruto will never get any easier, and he'd be ok once she's completely out of the picture. In time, he'd get over her, right?

_But then I'd really lose him._

_For good._

_But maybe it's better that way...?_

_Or maybe it's not._

_Please, Tsunade-sama, please don't ask me something I'm not ready to answer! _

_Please...drop it..._

"So, are you in love with him or not?"

Sakura closed her eyes as she felt a single tear fall down her cheek. She knew right then that it was over. There was only one thing left to do. If lying one more time could make all of the roadblocks go away, and could give Naruto the chance to get over her once and for all, then she had no choice.

In a few months, he would be over her. And she still wouldn't be good enough.

"Well?" Tsunade pressed, tapping her foot a few times impatiently.

Sakura took a deep breath and stood, not worried about being pushed down again since Tsunade had already made it clear that she had said everything she came to say.

_It's my turn now_...

"I'm-"

That was all Sakura could say before a frantic and slightly wet blonde appeared at the still open door, making his presence known to the two women in the house with a loud, shaky breath.

"Tsunade-baba...don't." Naruto rasped between breaths. "Just...don't."

The two women were standing side by side, both gaping in Naruto's direction. After a few moments of stunned silence Sakura turned her head to the side to look at Tsunade, who was still looking confused for a half a second before quickly collecting herself, her expression changed to one of open anger.

"I'm kinda busy here, brat! Get back the ceremony, I'll be there once I'm done with-"

"NO!" Naruto roared, slamming his fist into the open door with a resounding crack, his fist going straight through the wood. Sakura couldn't help but jump, and notice that not only did Tsunade not jump, but she looked even angrier than before.

The tension in the room was thick; both women were now silently staring at the blonde in the doorway, the blood from his wounds dripping steadily onto the hardwood floors. The wounds had already started to heal, but it didn't look like he noticed either way. His clothes were damp, and his fist was clenching tightly despite the barely healing wounds.

"Like I said," The Godaime began, sounding calmer and fiercer than ever, obviously not happy about being both yelled at and interrupted. "Get back to where you belong. And tell Shizune-"

"You don't belong here either." Naruto's voice was also quiet, but filled with emotion. The sound of it made Sakura's chest tighten.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Tsunade-baba. Sakura-chan...she's made her choice already." The raw defeat in his tone made Sakura feel sick to her stomach. "Let's leave her alone, she deserves that much. Please? Let's just-just go..."

_Why can't you stop caring?_

_Why?_

_What is so great about me...?_

_Find someone who actually deserves you, damnit!_

The pink-haired Jounin could only stare dumbly at Naruto, who pulled his fist back through the door with a nasty cracking sound that made her inwardly cringe. Tsunade was still watching Naruto, but she seemed to be thinking about something. Whatever it was made her move to stand directly in front of Sakura, her back to the blonde in the doorway. Tsunade's arms were crossed as she loomed over the younger girl threateningly, her penetrating gaze fixed on Sakura.

For a few moments Tsunade continued to watch her carefully, as if searching for something, as if asking a question that Sakura's eyes refused to give away. The very question Sakura had been about to answer before Naruto interrupted. Before Tsunade could read her emotions Sakura shut her eyes and turned her head away, biting her lower lip in shame as she did so.

"Well, runt, it looks like for once you're actually right. She deserves to be alone."

Sakura's eyes widened, she stared unseeing at the hardwood floors underneath her feet. She knew that Naruto didn't mean it in the same way Tsunade meant it, but that didn't make the words hurt any less. Those words were meant to hurt, they were deliberate and honest.

And they were so true it made Sakura feel sick.

She clenched her fists in frustration, feeling a strange satisfaction as she felt the skin of her palm break under the pressure of her nails. It would bleed, but she didn't care.

_Without Naruto, I really have been so alone..._

_I have Temari and everyone else in Suna, but it's different._

_Nobody can replace him, nobody else has that smile. _

_Do I need him to be happy, to live in peace?_

_Am I that weak?_

"Am I that pathetic!"

Sakura whipped her head up to look at the two blondes that were staring at her, one in confused shock and the other with a sad sort of understanding that could only come with age. She really hadn't meant to say that out loud, but was glad she did. Part of her really wanted an answer, needed an answer.

"You're not pathetic, Sakura." A rare gentle smile came over the older woman's face, her eyes holding an answer that was clearer than anything Sakura could remember.

'_You're in love._'

Sakura wanted to say something, she didn't know what, but she knew there was something she should say, if not to Tsunade then to Naruto. But her throat had tightened, and she no longer trusted her ability to speak in a calm voice. She didn't want to appear any weaker than she already did, and she cursed herself as her eyes began to water against her will.

_Say something..._

_You'll regret it if you don't..._

A million thoughts raced through Sakura's head, all trying to push themselves to the forefront. She knew this was one of her last chances to reach out to Naruto, if not her very last. After tonight, she would go back to Suna. There would be no more opportunities like this one, and Tsunade wouldn't help even if she reached out to the older woman.

It was now or never.

_Speak...!_

_NOW!_

"Na..ruto"

The blonde froze in place, not turning around but standing in the doorway with his back turned to the pink-haired Jounin. Upon hearing Sakura's small voice Tsunade whipped her platinum pig-tails around as she turned to face Sakura, a look of mixed approval and curiosity on her features. A challenging glint was present in the older woman's eyes, almost as if daring Sakura to be honest for once.

_Easier said than done, Tsunade-sama..._

Slowly, the blonde turned, as he did so Sakura felt her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach.

That damn smile was back.

That fake, pitiful, forced smile was plastered onto his face, its falseness more pronounced then ever. He couldn't even hide the guarded expression in his eyes, and Sakura vaguely noticed that it was a first for him. He had never let himself look so vulnerable while the act was in place.

His acting wasn't as good as it used to be.

Either that, or he really was hurting that much.

_I'm tired of this._

_It's stupid and pointless._

_And it's gone on long enough._

_No more_.

"Tsunade-sama, can you give us a minute alone, please?" Sakura politely asked, giving the blonde woman a pleading look.

For a moment the Godaime simply fixed the younger woman with an analyzing stare, picking apart her student for any type of ill intent. Sakura tried her hardest not to wilt under the intense scrutiny, willing herself not to look away. As if finding what she was looking for, Tsunade smiled, telling Naruto he had two minutes, and that she would meet him in the arena. He agreed, and much too soon, it was just him and Sakura, completely alone.

The silence was deafening. Everything that wasn't said threatened to consume the two young shinobi as they stood in the silent house. The only noise that could be heart was the dripping of the rain from the ledge outside of Sakura's door.

The pink-haired Jounin was facing the blonde, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. Naruto was standing in the doorway still, his body only halfway turned as his neck was craned towards Sakura. He was grinning, yet still, the slightest crease in his eyebrows was there.

"Why, Naruto?" Sakura blurted out, tired of the silence.

"Why what, Sakura-chan?" The blonde smiled wider, sounding so cheerful it made the pink-haired Jounin sick.

_Fake, fake, **fake**._

"Don't give me that crap!" Sakura yelled, satisfied with the way the blonde's smile faded minutely. "If you're sad, be sad, if you're angry with me, be angry with me! I'm not buying that perpetual smile, I know you too well." She took a deep breath, shoving her guilt aside. "Let's just be honest with each other for once, ok?"

That set something off. The moment those last words came out of Sakura's mouth the blonde automatically frowned, turning around completely to face the pink-haired Jounin.

"For once, Sakura-chan?" It was a tone Sakura had hardly ever heard Naruto speak in. He was deathly serious. "I've been honest since day one about my feelings. What about you?"

"What about me?" Sakura bit back, fixing him with her most defiant expression, not wanting to show him how much he was affecting her.

"We're being honest, aren't we? Why'd you really go to Suna?"

"I told you, I-"

"And I'm telling you that your reason is crap, Sakura-chan."

Sakura stared at him. This was uncommon ground for her. He wanted honesty, and not too long ago she demanded it. But was she really ready?

"Why did you go to Suna? Why," Naruto took a deep breath. "Why did you run away from my apartment earlier? Huh?"

"I didn't..."

"How could you be so close, but still be so damn far away? Why doesn't it – why doesn't it make any sense, Sakura-chan...? Why can't I just..." Naruto brought a shaky hand up to his face, rubbing it over his eyes roughly. "Why can't I just let go?"

"Naruto..."

"I hate it, you know, Sakura-chan? Not-not being good enough, never being good enough."

At that, Sakura furrowed her brows in confusion. She watched as he lowered his hands to his knees and sighed loudly in frustration as he bowed his head. He looked so weak, so defeated. So much like how she felt at that very moment. As much as Sakura tried, she couldn't understand what he could possibly mean by not good enough.

_Good enough for who?_

_He can't mean..._

"What do you mean, not good enough? Not good enough for who?"

"Who do you think?" Naruto shrugged helplessly. "It's always been you, Sakura-chan. It'll always be you. You make me so goddamn crazy I can't take it anymore!"

"YOU can't take it anymore!" Sakura exploded, not able to stop the words from pouring out. "Do you know how it feels to be me, Naruto? How it – how it feels...do you?"

"Maybe if you told me-"

"Fine, I'll tell you! I'll tell you whatever you want to know. That's what you want, isn't it!" Sakura knew she sounded slightly hysterical, but didn't care. She was beyond caring. "You wanna know why I'm so far away all the time, hmm? Is that what you wanna know? HUH?" She barely registered Naruto wincing, and that she was suddenly standing in front of him. She didn't even remember moving to the doorway, everything was so mixed up. Her entire body was shaking uncontrollably.

"Sakura-chan...?" Naruto was looking more and more concerned by the second, his hand moving to her shoulder. Sakura smacked it away before he could make contact.

"Don't...please," Sakura shook her head. "Just - just don't."

"Alright. I won't. But - um, look, it's fine, ok? If you—"

"You wanted to know, right? Why I left to Suna, why I ran away from your apartment? It's because I'm afraid!" The trembling in her voice was impossible to suppress. "I'm a goddamn pathetic coward, and I'm scared of being close to you because..." Sakura felt her lower lip begin to tremble, and didn't even try to stop the tears that were already blurring her vision. "Because I know – I know if I get too close then, then I wont be able to let you go."

"Then don't!" Naruto rushed the extra step forward, grabbing Sakura's shoulders with both hands before the pink-haired Jounin could do anything. "Be with me, come back to Konoha and stay here." He sounded desperate, his voice pleading. Sakura closed her eyes tightly, letting the stray tears fall down her face. She didn't want to look him in the eyes. "Please...I need you."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, not even sure of what she was going to say. Before anything could come out though, she felt the sobs begin to wrack her body, the strength on her legs leaving her. Within seconds she was being cradled in Naruto's warm embrace, his large hand smoothing her pink locks to her head and his arm held her securely around the waist. She wasn't sure what he was saying, the sound of her own crying ringing in her ears. What she did know, was that whatever he was whispering in her ear really was so very soothing.

As she continued to cry into his chest, she felt him fall gently to his knees, holding her as tight as ever.

_Maybe...maybe this is ok._

_Maybe I don't have to lose him._

_If I can hold on a little longer..._

_But still_...

Sakura's tears began to subside, her body shaking as she let herself relax even more in his arms. She could hear him shushing her, whispering reassurances as he continued to pat her head somewhat awkwardly. She knew he wasn't used to showing or receiving much affection.

"Sakura-chan, I'm not gonna let go of you..." She could hear his voice rumbling through his chest, somehow the sensation managing to warm her heart. Or maybe it was the words, the ones that gave her an overwhelming sense of relief and hope, mixed with a bit of dread. "Not unless you give me a really good reason, ok?"

_A really good reason, huh..._

_I only have one reason._

_It's probably time I let you know._

"I duh duuvuve oo..." Sakura furrowed her brows, frowning at her muffled words.

"Hmm?" Naruto gently asked, pulling her away from his chest.

They were both sitting on the hardwood floors, his arm now encircling Sakura's shoulders as he brought a single hand forward to gently and carefully tuck a few stray strands of hair behind her ears. Her green eyes met his blue ones, and Sakura was tempted to drown then and there.

Instead, she decided to repeat herself.

"I said that I don't deserve you. That's my reason." Sakura mumbled, looking at him in the eyes, waiting for him to say something, anything. The suspense was killing her. He simply stared at her, as if contemplating something. After a minute, her patience could hold on no longer. "Well, Naruto? Say something!"

"That's...the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Silence.

"Excuse me?"

"That's the best you could come up with? And Sasuke-bastard says I'm a moron, just wait until he gets a load of this..."

"Naruto!"

"I mean, wow..."

"NARUTO!"

"Hmm? You say something, Sakura-chaaan?" Naruto looked at her innocently, only the barest hint of mischief was still clear in those expressive blue eyes of his.

Sakura shook her head in exasperation, gaping at the future Rokudaime.

"I give up. What the hell do I even see in this blonde idiot? Is this karma? Is that it?" Sakura asked nobody in particular, rubbing her closed eyes with the heel of both palms. "Did I like royally screw up in my past life...? Is that why I'm doomed to be in love with a moron in this one? I mean, Come ON! What the he-"

Silence.

_Oh...god._

_Me and my stupid mouth._

"You're...in love with me?"

_Please let me die now._

_Earth, swallow me up._

_I'm waiting and ready._

"Sakura-chan...look at me."

_No.._

"Sakura-chan!"

"What!" Sakura cried, digging her fingernails into her knees, only wincing slightly as she felt the skin break.

"...look at me. Please."

His voice was so gentle, so calming. Before Sakura could make herself stop, she found her head tilting up slowly but surely in order to look the blonde in the eyes. What she saw there made her breath catch.

His gaze was boring into her, that sensation of drowning came back full force. Hope, fear, happiness, anticipation...all of it was screaming out to her from beneath those blue orbs. It was all she could do not to start crying again.

"I'm not asking anything else...I just wanna know if what you said was true. Because if it was, then I'm not gonna be able to let you go back to Suna. You can't give me something like that and just take it away; it won't be like last time, Sakura-chan."

"I – I know."

"So?"

Sakura gulped. She took a few deep calming breaths hoping to relax her nerves enough to say what she needed to say. There really was no turning back after this.

_God, I hope I don't regret this..._

_Please, don't let me regret this_.

"Yeah...it was the truth." Sakura said softly, feeling her heart rate triple as she saw his eyes widen in shock, a bright smile making it's way onto his face. "I- well, I've been in, I mean, I've had feelings for...ugh!" She grunted in frustration, shaking her head and closing her eyes tightly in concentration. "The point is, I'm in lo-mph!"

Before she could finish, Sakura's words were muffled by a pair of warm lips closing over her own. Her eyes whipped open, widening as her body stiffened in shock. She barely registered that his eyes were closed tightly, his own body stiff as if scared of being pushed away or rejected.

_What an idiot..._

As the initial shock began to wear off, Sakura could feel warmth spread through the pit of her stomach, consuming all of her thoughts. Her body was screaming, telling her that his feathery touches against her lips wasn't nearly enough, she needed more. She needed this, needed _him_ more than anything else she had ever needed before.

Not giving it a second thought, Sakura gave in to the sensations, unable to hold herself back and not even sure why she would want to in the first place. Shifting slightly in order to sit on her knees, she wrapped both arms around his neck, barely moving her own lips against his as her fingers toyed with the soft hairs at the nape of his neck.

As if encouraged by her actions, Naruto sat up on his own knees, moving one arm to wrap around her slim waist as the other moved up, one large hand gently caressing her cheek as their lips gently moved against each other. Neither had any real experience kissing, and while it was still new and awkward, it was so much more than Sakura could ever have expected.

The need for air became an issue as the two separated, breathing deeply and gazing into each others eyes. A few moments of silence passed between them, their arms still not moving from their previous positions at they simply knelt, not even ten feet away from the still open door. The cold breeze was simply an afterthought in Sakura's haze-filled mind. After a minute or so, Naruto pulled her into his arms, holding onto her in a tight embrace.

"You're not gonna leave me again...are you?" Naruto whispered against her left ear, sending a shiver down Sakura's spine.

She could only laugh, causing him to pull back a bit to stare at her questioningly, a single blonde eyebrow rising.

"What do you think, Naruto?"

With that said, Sakura tightened her grip in the back of his neck, pulling his face to hers. As their lips met she could feel his smile, his real smile, and felt her heart jump in excitement. His grip tightened around her waist, pulling her until they were flush against each other.

Sakura jumped, feeling heat spread through her body as she felt something wet drag across her bottom lip. All she could do was gasp in shock, before instantly realizing that might not have been the best thing to do. The second her mouth was open Naruto's tongue gently pushed through her open lips, tentatively searching for her own.

It was all she could do not to faint as a million sensations tore through her body. Part of her wanted to push him away and tell him to take things slow, while another much louder part told her to give back as much as she was getting.

Apparently, she wouldn't have to make a decision because at that moment, they were interrupted by a loud howling noise coming from the direction of Sakura's doorway.

"Now THAT'S how it's done, boy!"

"E-E-Ero-sennin!" Naruto sputtered, his and Sakura's faces burning bright red as they pulled away from each other so fast one would think they were on fire.

"And Tsunade's student no less! Nice going! You mind if I use this in my material? I find that real-life experiences can be-"

"Shut the hell up you damn PERVERT!" The blonde screeched, standing up to his full height in order to glare threateningly at the older man who was still grinning lecherously at the two, despite the murderous, albeit embarrassed aura coming off of them.

Sakura also stood; trying her hardest to will away the persistent blush that she just knew was present. Her cheeks were on fire, and as much as she tried, she couldn't rid herself of all of the sensations still buzzing through her body.

"Come now, kid, there'll be lots of time for that after the ceremony."

"Cere...mony?"

Jiraiya sighed exasperatedly, fixing the blonde with an expression that screamed pity.

"Please tell me that you didn't seriously forget your own ceremony. It's already 8:45."

"WHAT!"

"Athough I can't say I blame you..."

"Damnit, damnit, damnit!" Naruto wailed. "The hag is gonna kill me!"

"It's probably worth it, kid. Honestly, if I were in your position, with such a young-"

"I thought I told you to shut the hell up, pervert!" Naruto glared at the older man, who merely shrugged indifferently.

"Sakura-chan, are you coming?"

"Huh?" Sakura stared dumbly at Naruto, who held his hand out to her as he waited. For the past minute or so she had been watching the two interact, wondering how someone could be so openly perverted, when the blonde called out to her.

"Well, you're coming to the ceremony, right?"

Sakura glanced at Jiraiya, who was eyeing her with mild interest. Not in a perverted way as she might have expected, but as if he were trying to figure something out.

_Probably wondering if I'm good enough._

_But...there really is no point in asking that now, is there?_

_Our minds are made up, for better or for worse_.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Naruto." Sakura answered, smiling widely as she reached out and grasped the blonde's outstretched hand. She was instantly rewarded with another one of his genuine heart melting smiles as he squeezed her hand gently and led her to the door.

She noticed that Jiraiya smiled at them both, winking and nodding once as he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Damn flashy bastard." Naruto grumbled to himself. "So, you ready to go?"

Sakura smiled. "Are you?"

"Ha!" The blonde yelled enthusiastically. "I've been ready since the day I was born, Sakura-chan!"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Naruto grinned mischievously, laughing outright while scooping a protesting Sakura into his arms. The pink-haired Jounin yelled helplessly as he dashed through Konoha, jumping through the rooftops as he made his way to the ceremony, laughing all the while.

* * *

A/N: I'm SO sorry NaruHina fans...it just wasn't meant to be this time. Please don't be angry...Mimi doesn't like having sharp objects thrown at her. For the record,I actuallydo support thatpairingbig time. Check my profile! 

Anyways, I hope you guys liked this chapter! I wonder, will any of you be attending Anime Expo? I personally can't wait! This fic WILL be finished before then, I promise.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, and sticking with this story all this time everyone. I've said it before and I'll say it again – I have the best readers out there! I can only hope that this didn't disappoint.


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